Investigating the reactivity and cellular interactions of indazole-based ruthenium(ii) complexes in cancer and leishmania cells

Abstract

This research focused on the synthesis and analysis of two novel Ru(II)-based complexes, cis-[RuCl(Hind)(phen)₂]PF₆ (FOR022) and cis-[Ru(Hind)₂(phen)₂](PF₆)₂ (FOR0E2), where Hind represents indazole and phen stands for 1,10-phenanthroline. These compounds were thoroughly characterized using various methods such as elemental analysis, spectroscopy techniques, and electrochemistry assay, confirming their structures. The research highlights the effectiveness of the compound FOR0E2 in exhibiting strong cytotoxic properties against various tumor cell lines, including HCT116, HepG2, HL-60, LNcaP, and PC-3, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values ranging from 10.7 to 25.2 μmol L⁻¹. Additionally, FOR0E2 showed substantial leishmanicidal capabilities against both the promastigote and amastigote forms of L. amazonensis, with IC₅₀ values of 5.7 μmol L⁻¹ and 1.6 μmol L⁻¹, respectively. These outcomes suggest that the inclusion of indazole in FOR022 and FOR0E2 significantly enhances their biological effectiveness, positioning it as a promising candidate for pharmacological treatments.