Synthesis, Spectral Characterization, DNA/ Protein Binding, DNA Cleavage, Cytotoxicity, Antioxidative and Molecular Docking Studies of Cu(II)Complexes Containing Schiff Base-bpy/Phen Ligands

Ternary Cu(II) complexes [Cu(II)(L)(bpy)Cl] 1, [Cu(II)(L)(Phen)Cl] 2 [L = 2,3-dimethyl-1-phenyl-4(2 hydroxy-5-methyl benzylideneamino)-pyrazol-5-one, bpy = 2,2 bipyridine, phen =1,10 phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, UV-Visible, FT-IR, ESR, Mass, thermogravimetric and SEM EDAX techniques. The complexes exhibit octahedral geometry. The interaction of the Cu(II) with cailf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) was explored by using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic methods. The results revealed that the complexes have an affinity constant for DNA in the order of 10 M and mode of interaction is intercalative mode. The DNA cleavage study showed that the complexes cleaved DNA without any external agent. The interaction of Cu(II) complexes with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was also studied using absorption and fluorescence techniques. The cytotoxic activity of the Cu(II) complexes was probed in HeLa (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line), B16F10 (Murine melanoma cell line) and HEPA1-6 celllines, complex 1 has good cytotoxic activity which is comparable with the doxarubicin drug, with IC values ranging from 3 to 12.6 μM. A further molecular docking technique was employed to understand the binding of the complexes towards the molecular target DNA. Investigation of the antioxidative properties showed that the metal complexes have significant radical scavenging activity potency against DPPH radical.