Eremophilane sesquiterenes from the marine fungus Penicillium sp. BL27-2

Six eremophilane sesquiterpenes were obtained from a marine fungus Penicillium sp. BL27-2. Their structures were elucidated as 3-acetyl-9, 7 （11）-dien-7a-hydroxy-8-oxoeremophilane （1）, 3-acetyl-13-deoxyphomenone （2）, Sporogen-AO 1 （3）, 7-hydro- xypetasol （4）, 8a-hydroxy-13-deo -xyphomenone （5） and 6-dehydropetasol （6） based on detailed NMR analysis. 1 was a new compound and 2 was obtained as a new natural compound. These compounds were assayed for their cytotoxic activity on P388, A549, HL60, BEL7402 and K562 cell lines by the MTT method. The assay results suggested the epoxide rings in eremophilane molecules were essential for their activity, and acetylation could enhance their activity.     

Two new coumarins from Micromelum falcatum with cytotoxicity and brine shrimp larvae toxicity

Two new coumarins, 7-methoxy-8-(2-hydroxmethyl-1-O-isovaleryl-4-butenyl)-coumarin (1) and 7-methoxy-8-(1-hydroxy-2-O-β-glucopyranosyl-3-methyl-4-butene-1-yl)coumarin (2), and twelve known coumarins 3-14 were isolated from the stem bark of Micromelum falcatum. The structures of compounds 1-14 were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic data analyses. The toxicity of compounds 1-14 was tested using a brine shrimp assay and in vitro antiproliferative assay against mammary cancer (F10) and lung cancer (HvEvc) cell lines by the MTT method. Some compounds had moderate activities. All compounds were also tested against the microorganisms Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis and Escherichia coli, but no activity was observed.     

Imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles. II. Synthesis and antiinflammatory activity of some imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles

3-[2-[p-(Un)substituted phenyl]imidazo [2,1-b]benzothiazol-3- yl]propionic acid derivatives (2a--e) were prepared via the interaction of the corresponding 2-[p-(un)substituted phenyl]imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles (1a--e) with acrylic acid in the presence of acetic anhydride and acetic acid. Esterification of 2a--e produced methyl esters (3a--e). Upon the interaction of 3a with m-chloroperbenzoic acid, the S-dioxide (4a) was obtained. Compound 5a was prepared from 4a by alkaline hydrolysis. Vilsmeier formylation for 1a--e produced novel [2-[p-(un)substituted phenyl]imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazol-3- yl]formaldehyde derivatives (6a--e). Derivatives 6a--e reacted with ethyl bromoacetate to give ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-[2-[p-(un)substituted phenyl]imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazol- 3-yl]propionate esters (7a--e). Compound dl-7a was resolved with l-(+)-tartaric acid. Compounds 2a--e showed weak or no activity in the carrageein-induced paw edema assay. Compound 4a significantly inhibited the leakage of pontamine-sky blue dye into the peritoneal cavity of mice, in the capillary permeability inhibition assay. Compound 5a inhibited the writhing by 62% in the acetic acid-induced writhing assay.     

Solvent effect in 1H NMR spectra of 3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxy isoflavonoids from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus

Four 3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxy-isoflavonoids: calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), calycosin (2), pratensein-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), and pratensein (4) were isolated from Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, among which compound 4 was obtained from this plant for the first time. The solvent effect obscuring (1)H signal patterns of B ring of compounds 1-4 was reported to avoid mis-assignments. Previously reported NMR data of compounds 1 and 2 were corrected based on 1D and 2D NMR experiments.     

A novel antioxidant isobenzofuranone derivative from fungus Cephalosporium sp.AL031

Bioassay-guided fractionation of metabolites from the fungus Cephalosporium sp.AL031 isolated from Sinarundinaria nitida led to the discovery of a new isobenzofuranone derivative, 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-7-methylphthalide (1), together with three known compounds: 4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (2), 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-7-methyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (3) and 4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methylphthalide (4). The structure of the new compound 1 was determined based on MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral data. Compounds 1-4 showed potent antioxidant activity with EC?? values of 10, 7, 22 and 5 μM by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay.     

三种O－异戊烯基苯丙素类天然产物的首次合成

以香草醛为起始原料，经O－异戊烯基化、Witting反应、水解、还原、氧化等 反应步骤，首次合成了三种苯丙素天然产物boropinalA（1），boropinalC（2） boropinicAcid（3）,有化合物结构均由核磁共振氢谱，质谱及红外光谱确证，用 X射线衍射法测定了3的晶体及分子结构。     

New Fe4, Fe6, and Fe8 clusters of iron(III) from the use of 2-pyridyl alcohols: structural, magnetic, and computational characterization

The syntheses, crystal structures, magnetochemical characterization, and theoretical calculations are reported for three new iron clusters [Fe 6O 2(NO3) 4(hmp) 8(H 2O) 2](NO3)2 (1), [Fe4(N3)6(hmp)6] (2), and [Fe8O3(OMe)(pdm)4(pdmH) 4(MeOH)2](ClO4)5 (3) (hmpH=2-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine; pdmH2=2,6-pyridinedimethanol). The reaction of hmpH with iron(III) sources such as Fe(NO3) 3.9H2O in the presence of NEt 3 gave 1, whereas 2 was obtained from a similar reaction by adding an excess of NaN3. Complex 3 was obtained in good yield from the reaction of pdmH 2 with Fe(ClO4)3.6H2O in MeOH in the presence of an organic base. The complexes all possess extremely rare or novel core topologies. The core of 1 comprises two oxide-centered [Fe3(mu3-O)](7+) triangular units linked together at two of their apexes by two sets of alkoxide arms of hmp(-) ligands. Complex 2 contains a zigzag array of four Fe (III) atoms within an [Fe4(mu-OR) 6](6+) core, with the azide groups all bound terminally. Finally, complex 3 contains a central [Fe 4(mu4-O)](10+) tetrahedron linked to two oxide-centered [Fe3(mu3-O)](7+) triangular units. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetization studies were carried out on complexes 1-3 in the 5.0-300 K range. Fitting of the obtained magnetization versus field (H) and temperature (T) data by matrix diagonalization and including only axial anisotropy (zero-field splitting, ZFS) established that 1 possesses an S=3 ground-state spin, with g=2.08, and D=-0.44 cm(-1). The magnetic susceptibility data for 2 up to 300 K were fit by matrix diagonalization and gave J1=-9.2 cm(-1), J2=-12.5 cm(-1), and g=2.079, where J 1 and J 2 are the outer and middle nearest-neighbor exchange interactions, respectively. Thus, the interactions between the Fe(III) centers are all antiferromagnetic, giving an S=0 ground state for 2. Similarly, complex 3 was found to have an S=0 ground state. Theoretically computed values of the exchange constants in 2 were obtained with DFT calculations and the ZILSH method and were in good agreement with the values obtained from the experimental data. Exchange constants obtained with ZILSH for 3 successfully rationalized the experimental S = 0 ground state. The combined work demonstrates the ligating flexibility of pyridyl-alcohol chelates and their usefulness in the synthesis of new polynuclear Fex clusters without requiring the copresence of carboxylate ligands.     

Colorimetric method for the quantitative determination of the antibilharzial drug praziquantel and its application to pharmaceutical preparations.

A method for the colorimetric assay of praziquantel has been developed. For the colorimetric assay, it was necessary to hydrolyse praziquantel with 3 mol dm-3 NaOH, 6 mol dm-3 HCl and 85% phosphoric acid separately. 4-Chloro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-Cl) reacts with the basic hydrolysis product in methanolic aqueous phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), resulting in the formation of an orange product with a characteristic absorption maximum at 478 nm. The red-orange product of the interaction between the hydrochloric acid hydrolysis product and NBD-Cl showed an absorption maximum at 486 nm. The colours obtained were stable for 24 h. The colour system obeyed Beer's law in the concentration range 2-15 and 2-18 micrograms ml-1 for the basic hydrolysis product and the acid hydrolysis product, respectively. The results obtained showed good recoveries with relative standard deviations of 0.378 and 0.47% for the basic and the acid hydrolysis product, respectively. The determination limit was found to be 0.124 and 0.150 micrograms ml-1 for the praziquantel basic hydrolysis product and the acid hydrolysis product, respectively. The coloured reaction products obtained with the proposed method were synthesized. The structures of these products were studied and the compounds identified.     

应用微阵列芯片检测与2型糖尿病相关的单核苷酸多态性

基于三维(3D)寡核苷酸微阵列芯片的荧光检测法, 研制了一种用于筛选能检测2型糖尿病的特定寡核苷酸探针. 使用第4代(G4)聚(酰胺-胺)(PAMAM)树枝状大分子修饰的载玻片为基底, 以氨基修饰的寡核苷酸为固定探针构建3D寡核苷酸微阵列芯片. 采用荧光化合物Cy5修饰的寡核苷酸为检测探针获得荧光信号. 以2型糖尿病易感基因TCF7L2的rs7903146位点为研究对象, 通过对含有16种(8对)寡核苷酸的寡核苷酸文库的筛选, 获得了1对能用于2型糖尿病检测的寡核苷酸探针. 通过单核苷酸多态性和等位基因分析证明, 该寡核苷酸探针对靶标寡核苷酸检测具有高特异性, 并能准确检测低至2%的等位基因频率.     

Unusual structural types in polynuclear iron chemistry from the use of N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine (edteH4): Fe5, Fe6, and Fe12 clusters

The syntheses, crystal structures, and magnetochemical characterization of five new iron clusters [Fe5O2(O2CPh)7(edte)(H2O)] (1), [Fe6O2(O2CBut)8(edteH)2] (2), [Fe12O4(OH)2(O2CMe)6(edte)4(H2O)2](ClO4)4 (3), [Fe12O4(OH)8(edte)4(H2O)2](ClO4)4 (4), and [Fe12O4(OH)8(edte)4(H2O)2](NO3)4 (5) (edteH4= N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl) ethylenediamine) are reported. The reaction of edteH4 with [Fe3O(O2CPh)6(H2O)3](NO3) and [Fe3O(O2CBut)6(H2O)3](OH) gave 1 and 2, respectively. Complex 3 was obtained from the reaction of edteH4 and NaO2CMe with Fe(ClO4)3, whereas 4 and 5 were obtained from the reaction of edteH4 with Fe(ClO4)3 and Fe(NO3)3, respectively. The core of 1 consists of a [Fe4(mu3-O)2]8+ butterfly unit to which is attached a fifth Fe atom by four bridging O atoms. The core of 2 consists of two triangular [Fe3(mu3-O)]7+ units linked together by six bridging O atoms. Finally, the cores of 3-5 consist of an [Fe12(mu4-O)4(mu-OH)2]26+ unit. Variable-temperature (T) and -field (H) solid-state direct and alternating current magnetization (M) studies were carried out on complexes 1-3 in the 1.8-300 K range. Analysis of the obtained data revealed that 1, 2, and 3-5 possess an S = 5/2, 5, and 0 ground-state spin, respectively. The fitting of the obtained M/N(muB) vs H/T data was carried out by matrix diagonalization, and this gave values for the axial zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameter D of -0.50 cm-1 for 1 and -0.28 cm-1 for 2.     

A structure-activity relationship study of compounds with antihistamine activity

A structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)-antihistamine activity was carried out and chromatographic data of 2-[2-(phenylamino)thiazol-4-yl]ethanamine, 2-(2-benzyl-4-thiazolyl)ethanamine, 2-(2-benzhydrylthiazol4-yl)ethanamine, 2-(1-piperazinyl- and 2-(hexahydro-1H-1,4-diazepin-1-yl)benzothiazole, 2-(1-piperazinyl)benzothiazole, 2-[4-(1-alkyl)piperidinyl]benzothiazole, 2-(N,N',N'-dimethylalkyl-1,2-ethanediamino)benzothiazole, 2[1-(4-aminopiperidinyl)]benzothiazole, 2-[2-phenyl-4-thiazolyl]ethanamine derivatives and selected H(1)- and H(2)-antihistamine drugs were obtained. NP TLC and RP2 TLC plates (silica gel NP 60F(254) and silica gel RP2 60F(254) silanized precoated), impregnated with a solution of aspartic acid (L-Asp) and a solution of an analogue of aspartic acid (propionic acid), were used in two developing solvents as H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)-antihistaminic interaction models. The lipophilicity data of the examined compounds were obtained and used in the SAR assay. Biochromatographic tests using TLC plates impregnated with solutions of asparic acid or propionic acid were found to be a source of useful data for the qualitative analysis of compounds with different structures, demonstrating activity to histamine H(1)-, H(2)- and H(3)-receptors. The four presented discriminant models based on biochromatographic studies are an efficient tool in the SAR analysis for initial prediction of compound activity direction within histamine receptors.     

Analysis of the metabolites of ethyl loflazepate by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection

A gas chromatographic assay with electron-capture detection (GC--EC) is described for the metabolites of ethyl loflazepate (Victan), a new benzodiazepine with a potent anti-anxiety activity, in biological fluids. Since the parent drug undergoes a first-pass effect, pharmacokinetic data may only be obtained by measuring the total levels of two of the major metabolites. Accurate data can not be obtained for the metabolites separately since one of them (M1) is chemically transformed to the other (M2) during plasma sampling, storage and extraction. A sensitive, specific and accurate GC--EC assay is developed using a synthetic analogue of M2 as an internal standard. The limit of detection in plasma is approximately 2 ng/ml and the precision about 3% (within-run and between-run). The method is applied to plasma samples collected after oral administration of 2 mg and 4 mg of the drug in tablet form to human volunteers. The results obtained are correlated with those from an existing gas chromatographic--mass spectrometric assay. A very good correlation between the results (inter-laboratory comparison) is obtained, validating both techniques.     

Oxepinamides A-C and fumiquinazolines H--I: bioactive metabolites from a marine isolate of a fungus of the genus Acremonium

Three new oxepin-containing natural products (1-3) and two new fumiquinazoline metabolites (4-5) have been isolated from organic extracts of the culture broth and mycelia of an Acremonium sp., a fungus obtained from the surface of the Caribbean tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata. The structures of the five compounds were determined through extensive analysis of 1D- and 2D-NMR data, and mass spectrometry. Compound 1 exhibited good anti-inflammatory activity in a topical RTX-induced mouse ear edema assay. Compounds 4 and 5 exhibited weak antifungal activity toward Candida albicans in a broth microdilution assay.     

High-performance liquid chromatography assay for 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase activity using fluorescence detection

A high-performance liquid chromatography assay for activity of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase, an early enzyme in the recently discovered 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate pathway, was developed. In this assay, the enzymatic product 1-deoxy-D-xylulose was first derivatized with a fluorescent reagent 2-anthranilic acid, followed by separation using HPLC on a Nova-Pak phenyl column with a mobile phase containing CH3CN-water-1-butylamine-tetrahydrofuran-H3PO4 (2:97:0.125:0.5:0.25, v/v). The eluate was monitored by fluorescence detection at an excitation wavelength of 320 nm and an emission wavelength of 425 nm for quantitation of the fluorescent derivative. A linear response was obtained between 5 and 200 ng of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose. This assay was successfully applied to measure the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase activity in a recombinant E. coli overexpressing dxs gene. It demonstrated that this assay is simple, sensitive and selective compared to the methods used at present.     

Covalently Bound Antibody on Polystyrene Latex Beads: Formation, Stability, and Use in Analyses of White Blood Cell Populations

CD4 or CD8 antibodies were covalently bound to latex beads by reaction of activated CD4 or CD8 monoclonal antibodies with 2-μm-diameter, 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP) coupled, polystyrene aldehyde/sulfate latex beads. Spectrophotometric analyses of the filtrates of the antibody-bead conjugation mixtures for unreacted antibody allowed construction of binding curves of antibody for the polystyrene bead surface and evaluation of binding constants for association of antibody with bead, ranging from 1.5x10(7) to 1.6x10(7) M(-1) for CD4 and CD8 antibodies. The reaction of the antibody thiol group with the activated maleimide group on the bead at pH 7.2-7.3 was complete within 10-15 min. The kinetics of CD4 or CD8 monoclonal antibody displacement from the surface of covalently conjugated antibody-polystyrene latex beads was followed as a function of temperature (5, 22, and 37 degrees C) and the nature of the final diluent for the antibody-coated beads by measuring the concentration of antibody in the filtrates of conjugated beads by an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The displacement reaction showed a pseudo-zero-order dependence of the rate, with constants, k(1), ranging from 0.65x10(-17) to 270x10(-17) M s(-1). The functionality of antibody-coated beads suspended in various media was also monitored in a biological cell assay with whole blood. The cell assay depends on forming a layer of beads around targeted lymphocytes to distinguish them from nontargeted lymphocytes by differences in dc or rf conductivity or median angle light scatter. Covalently bound CD4 and CD8 antibody beads stored in one set of media at 5, 22, and 37 degrees C over a period of 16 weeks showed excellent results in the STKS assay with various blood donors, which correlated well (correlation coefficients of 0.99 for CD4 data and 0.93 for CD8 data) with reference results obtained with fluorescent markers by flow cytometry. Covalently bound CD4/CD8 beads stored for 2 weeks in BSA buffer at 5-37 degrees C performed equally well in providing accurate values of the percentage of CD4- or CD8-positive cells in the total white blood cell population, whereas the same beads stored in the 47-50 degrees C range showed some failures in performance. Comparison with antibody concentrations in filtrates of adsorbed antibody-bead suspensions showed 2- to 10-fold greater amounts of free antibody at comparable elapsed time, media, and temperature conditions. A threshold of 1-2 μg/mL of free antibody was necessary before adverse effects on the biological cell assay were noticeable. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Structure and vibrational spectroscopy investigation of 2-(4-chlorophenyliminomethyl)-8-hydroxyquinoline

2-(4-Chlorophenyliminomethyl)-8-hydroxyquinoline was synthesized and crystal data was obtained in the orthorhombic space group P-1, with Z=4. Unit cell parameters a=4.744(7) ?, b=9.981(15) ?, c=27.27(4) ? and V=12915(3) ?(3). In this paper the structural properties and vibrational frequencies of 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative, 2CP8HQ, are studied with the B3LYP and HF methods. Two stable conformers are obtained. The calculated frequencies are in good agreement with the experiment results. It is indicated that both of theoretical calculations were suitable for molecular vibrational frequencies study and the scaled B3LYP method was superior to the scaled HF methods.     

Facile and expedient synthesis and anti-proliferative activity of diversely pyrrolones bearing 1,3-diphenylpyrazole moiety

Abstract

A series of some pyrrolone derivatives were synthesized from the acid hydrazide, derived from a pyrazolyl-2(3H)-furanone, through treating with some carbonyl reagents such as 1-phenyl-3-(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde, formic acid, lauroyl chloride, succinoyl chloride, propionic anhydride, as well as, ethoxymethylene malononitrile. All compounds were obtained in good yields and characterized by their microanalytical and spectral data. The synthesized products were evaluated for their in vitro antitumor activity against two human carcinoma cell lines (HCT-116 and MCF7) using doxorubicin as a reference drug by MTT assay. The results revealed that some compounds exhibited significant potency. Noteworthy, the N-propionyl hydrazide derivative was the most potent against both cell lines.     

Amphidinolides T2, T3, and T4, new 19-membered macrolides from the dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. and the biosynthesis of amphidinolide T1.

Three new 19-membered macrolides, amphidinolides T2 (2), T3 (3), and T4 (4), structurally related to amphidinolide T1 (1) have been isolated from two strains of marine dinoflagellates of the genus Amphidinium. The structures of 2-4 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations at C-7, C-8, and C-10 of 1-4 were determined by comparison of NMR data of their C-1-C-12 segments with those of synthetic model compounds for the tetrahydrofuran portion. The biosynthetic origins of amphidinolide T1 (1) were investigated on the basis of 13C NMR data of a 13C enriched sample obtained by feeding experiments with [1-(13)C], [2-(13)C], and [1,2-(13)C2] sodium acetates and 13C-labeled sodium bicarbonate in the cultures of the dinoflagellate. These incorporation patterns suggested that amphidinolide T1 (1) was generated from four successive polyketide chains, an isolated C1 unit formed from C-2 of acetates, and three unusual C2 units derived only from C-2 of acetates. Furthermore, it is noted that five oxygenated carbons of C-1, C-7, C-12, C-13, and C-18 were not derived from the C-1 carbonyl, but from the C-2 methyl of acetates.     

2-溴-4-[1-(E)-亚乙基-2-对甲氧基苯基-丁基]-1-甲氧基苯脱甲基及双键转位反应的研究

2-溴-4-[1-(E)-亚乙基-2-对甲氧基苯基-丁基]-1-甲氧基苯(3)是在合成3’-甲氧基己烯雌酚(2)过程中获得的意外羟基消除产物. 报道了2-溴-4-[1-(E)-亚乙基-2-对甲氧基苯基-丁基]-1-甲氧基苯在不同条件下的脱甲基反应产物以及双键转位反应的情况. 部分重要中间体的人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVEC)抑制活性结果显示, 己烯雌酚骨架上的基团对该类化合物的抑制新生血管生成活性具有显著的影响, 甲氧基为活性有利基团, 而酚羟基全部游离时化合物没有活性.     

An approach to therapeutic agents through selective targeting of destabilised nucleic acid duplex sequences

The binding of ΔΔ/ΛΛ-[{Ru(phen)(2)}(2)(μ-bb(n))](4+) {where phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bb(n) = 1,n-bis[4(4'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridyl)]-alkane (ΔΔ/ΛΛ-Rubb(n))} to the non-self complementary oligonucleotide 5'-d(CGCGATAAGCCGC·5'-GCGGCATTACGCG) (3-DB) has been examined using a 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) displacement assay. The 3-DB oligonucleotide contains two single adenine bulge nucleotides that are separated by three base pairs. (1)H NMR spectroscopy data demonstrated that the adenine bases are intra-helical and that the segment containing the two bulge nucleotides and the three A·T base pairs between the bulges forms a destabilised segment within the stable duplex oligonucleotide. The DAPI displacement assay demonstrated that ΔΔ-Rubb(7)-bound 3-DB with higher affinity than the other members of the ΔΔ/ΛΛ-Rubb(n) series. Molecular models suggested that the seven-carbon chain length in ΔΔ-Rubb(7) was ideal to span the distance between the two bulge sites. The binding of ΔΔ-Rubb(7) to 3-DB was also studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling. The selective changes in chemical shifts for the resonances from 3-DB upon addition of ΔΔ-Rubb(7) suggested that the metal complex specifically bound at the destabilised segment between A(5) and A(19). Observation in NOESY spectra of NOE cross peaks between 3-DB and ΔΔ-Rubb(7) confirmed that one of the ruthenium centres bound at the A(5) bulge site, with the other metal centre positioned at the A(19) bulge. In addition, ΔΔ-Rubb(7) was found to bind chromosomal DNA extracted from a suspension of Staphylococcus aureus that had been incubated with the ruthenium(ii) complex. As inert dinuclear ruthenium(ii) complexes are capable of being transported into a bacterial cell and bind chromosomal DNA, it is possible that they could be developed into anti-microbial agents that specifically target destabilised segments of DNA that are recognised by essential DNA-binding proteins.