The zinc enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) is inhibited by several classes of zinc-binders (sulfonamides, sulfamates, and sulfamides) as well as by compounds which do not interact with the metal ion (phenols, polyamines and coumarins). Here we report a new class of potent CA inhibitors which bind the zinc ion: the dithiocarbamates (DTCs). They coordinate to the zinc ion from the enzyme...

Sir: While writing my article for this journal titled ‘‘Zinc lozenges as cure for the common cold – a review and hypothesis” [1], I reflected upon the long 25-year history of zinc in treating colds, and also remembered that the history of use of zinc to treat croup in infants and young children was much longer. The first published use that I found for treating croup with zinc was in 1899; yes, ...

The autometallographic retrograde tracing of zinc-containing neurons by intracerebral injection of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3), introduced by Danscher in 1982, has recently been described in more detail. Intracerebral injections of both sodium selenide (Na2Se) and sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) have been successfully used; however, sodium selenite had a rather toxic effect on the injected tissue. In t...

In this context, (Caffeine)(tetrahydroborato)zinc complex as white stable reducing agents [Zn(BH 4 ) 2 (caf)], has been prepared by complexation of one equimolar amounts of zinc tetrahydroborate and one equimolar amounts of caffeine at room temperature. Also, [Zn(BH 4 ) 2 (caf) ]has been used for reduce of a variety of carbonyl compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, α, βunsaturated carbonyl comp...

Metallothionein (MT), despite its high metal binding constant (KZn = 3.2 x 10(13) M-1 at pH 7.4), can transfer zinc to the apoforms of zinc enzymes that have inherently lower stability constants. To gain insight into this paradox, we have studied zinc transfer between zinc enzymes and MT. Zinc can be transferred in both directions-i.e., from the enzymes to thionein (the apoform of MT) and from ...

The title zinc complex, [ZnCl(2)(C(18)H(22)N(4))], contains a bidentate 1,2-bis(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-ylmeth-yl)benz-ene ligand that binds to the zinc atom, forming a nine-membered metallocyclic ring. The geometry about the Zn atom is distorted tetra-hedral, with the largest deviation observed in the magnitude of the Cl-Zn-Cl angle. Similar distortions are observed in the cobalt analogue an...

Studying seemingly simple metathesis reactions between ZnCl(2) and (t)BuMgCl has, surprisingly, revealed a much more complex chemistry involving mixed magnesium-zinc compounds that could be regarded as Mg-Zn hybrids. Thus, the reaction of equimolar amounts of ZnCl(2) and (t)BuMgCl reveals the formation of the unprecedented mixed Mg-Zn complex [(THF)(4)Mg(mu-Cl)(2)Zn((t)Bu)(Cl)] (1), as a result...

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the major cause for respiratory tract disease in infants and young children. Currently, no licensed vaccine or a selective antiviral drug against RSV infections are available. Here, we describe a structure-based drug design approach that led to the synthesis of a novel series of zinc-ejecting compounds active against RSV replication. 30 compounds, sharing a ...