title: Imidazolium and benzimidazolium-containing compounds: from simple toxic salts to highly bioactive drugs.
abstract: The toxicity of simple imidazolium and benzimidazolium salts started to be more and more investigated in the last few years and was taken in consideration in the context of microorganisms, plants and more evolved organisms' exposure. However, the toxicity of these salts can be exploited in the development of different biological applications by incorporating them in the structure of compounds that specifically target microorganisms and cancer cells. We highlight in this minireview the way researchers became aware of the inherent problem of the stability and bioaccumulation of imidazolium and benzimidazolium salts and how they found inspiration to exploit their toxicity by incorporating them into new highly potent drugs.
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie- Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit CP 6128 Succursalle Centre Ville Montréal Québec, Canada H3C 3J7. ar.schmitzer@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gravel
authors.affiliation: Département de Chimie- Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard Montpetit CP 6128 Succursalle Centre Ville Montréal Québec, Canada H3C 3J7. ar.schmitzer@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: A R
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3806-9076
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Schmitzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D007093:Imidazoles; D012492:Salts