title: Polyoxometalates: introduction to a class of inorganic compounds and their biomedical applications.
abstract: An increasing number of potential applications for polyoxometalates in human medicine have been reported in the literature. These inorganic complexes are composed of early transition metals (mainly molybdenum, tungsten and vanadium) and oxygen. The present review gives an introduction into the chemistry of these compounds, and an overview of the principal studies of their biological and biochemical effects and their therapeutic potential. The reported antitumoral and antibiotic properties of molybdates and tungstates in vitro and in vivo are compiled and discussed, as are their influences on the blood glucose level in diabetic animals. Aspects of antiviral activities and cell penetration are treated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie Inorganique et Matériaux Moléculaires, UMR CNRS 7071, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France. hasen@ccr.jussieu.fr
authors.forename: Bernold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasenknopf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002412:Cations; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000737:chemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D014414:Tungsten / Q000737:chemistry; D014638:Vanadates / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002412:Cations; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D008670:Metals; D014638:Vanadates; D008982:Molybdenum; D014414:Tungsten