| Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) are interesting in medicinal research due to the fact that they have important biological properties such as antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral and antimalarial activity. With their ability to chelate heavy metals, they have been used extensively in cancer research to study the effects of their inhibition of cell growth due to their ability to interfere with enzymes that contain metal ions. Current literature also shows several ways that TSCs and their metal complexes can inhibit cell growth. Through possible intercalation in DNA, suppression of ribonucleotide reductase and Topoisomerase II&agr;, TSCs have proved they can provide carcinostatic activity by several different mechanisms. With many classes and combinations of TSC's and their metal complexes to study, more data is needed on each one of their bioactivity in living cells. To study their bioactivity, serial dilutions of various TSC ligands and their metal complexes were produced and introduced to gram - and + bacteria along with mold and fungi. Their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was then observed for four bacteria ( Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), two yeast (Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and one mold (Aspergillus niger). This relatively inexpensive screening process provides an overview on a diverse range of TSCs and their respective bioactivity. This screening process also allows for more selective research on promising TSCs that could possibly lead to more exciting advances in cancer research. |
