Synthesis, Crystal Structures and Insulin-like Activity of Three New Oxidovanadium(V) Complexes with Aroylhydrazone Ligand

Three new oxidovanadium(V) complexes were designed, synthesized and characterized by C, H, N elemental analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction，UV/Vis and IR spectra. Complex 1: [VOLX] (HL = (E)-N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-methbenzohydrazide, HX = ethylmaltol = 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone), Complex 2: [VOL(CHO)(CHOH)], (HL = CHNO = (E)-N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3,5-dimethoxybenzohydrazide, CHOH = methanol), Complex 3: [VOLX] (HL = (E)-N'-(3-ethoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3,5-dimethoxybenzohydrazide). The insulin-like activity of the three complexes was tested. Both normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice were administered intragastrically for two weeks. It was found that the complexes at doses of 10.0 and 5.0 mg V·kg can significantly decrease the blood glucose level in STZ-diabetic mice, and the blood glucose level in the treated normal mice was not altered. The lesions of kidney and liver caused by diabetes have varying degrees of improvement.