title: Recent developments of metal N-heterocyclic carbenes as anticancer agents.
abstract: Metal based anticancer drugs have demonstrated their crucial role in preventing all types of cancers whereas their effectiveness is selective with respect to the cancer cells rather than the normal cells. Recently metal N-heterocyclic carbenes have established their selective performance for cancer cells excluding normal healthy cells based on which they are widely utilised for targeting cancer cells specifically which leads to cell death or cell growth inhibition. This is mainly due to their ionic character which helps them to localise in cancer cells with the help of enhanced expression of Organic Cation Transporters (OCT). Also their unique mechanism of action involving DNA binding, less recognizable by DNA repair machinery, mitochondria targeting gives them a new area for anticancer drug development. This review summarises the medicinal as well as pharmacological approach to the anticancer properties of metal NHC complexes.
authors.affiliation: Organic Chemistry Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632014, India.
authors.forename: Sainath Babaji
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Aher
authors.affiliation: Organic Chemistry Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632014, India.
authors.forename: Prashant Narayan
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Muskawar
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632014, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thenmozhi
authors.affiliation: Organic Chemistry Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632014, India. Electronic address: drprbhagat111@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pundlik Rambhau
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bhagat
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D008670:Metals; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C030011:carbene; D008697:Methane
keywords: Anticancer activity; Apoptosis; DNA adducts; Enzyme inhibition; Metal complexes; N heterocyclic carbenes