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Abstract: Novel trivalent antimony complexes with the nitrogen donor heterocyclic ligand 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or dipyrido[3,2-d:2′,3′-f]quinoxaline (dpq) have been synthesized by the reaction with SbCl3 or PhSbCl2. The crystal structures of [Sb(phen)Cl3] and [PhSb(phen)Cl2]CH3COOH were determined and shown to adopt a distorted square pyramid geometry with a five-coordinated Sb center. Surprisingly, all the complexes, the ligands and PhSbCl2 showed very high antileishmanial activities, with IC50 in the nanomolar range against SbIII-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania infantum (syn. Leishmania chagasi) and Leishmania amazonensis strains. These compounds were much more active against these Leishmania strains than the old trivalent drug potassium antimonyl tartrate. [PhSb(phen)Cl2]CH3COOH complex was found to be the most active compound and the lack of cross-resistance of PhSbCl2 suggests that the transport pathways of this compound across the cell membrane differ from those responsible for the resistance of Leishmania to Sb(OH)3. In the case of the complexes with PhSbCl2, our data supports the model that both ligand and metal contributed to the overall activity of the complex. Furthermore, among the complexes with SbCl3, only bipy showed an improved activity upon complexation. Cytotoxicity evaluations of these compounds against murine peritoneal macrophages showed high selective indexes in the range of 7–70 for [Sb(phen)Cl3], [Sb(bipy)Cl3] and [Sb(dpq)Cl3] complexes, being much more selective than potassium antimonyl tartrate. In conclusion, this study presents a set of new antileishmanial agents including one of the most active Sb-based compounds ever reported, which can contribute to the development of new chemotherapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis including Sb-resistant cases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two novel trivalent antimony(III) and bismuth(III) complexes with the nitrogen-donor heterocyclic ligand dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz) were synthesized and characterized as [Sb(dppz)Cl3].H2O.CH3OH and [Bi(dppz)Cl3]. The crystal structure of Sb(III) complex was determined by X-ray crystallography. These complexes were evaluated for their activity against the promastigote form of Sb(III)-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania infantum chagasi and Leishmania amazonensis strains. Both complexes were more effective than dppz alone in inhibiting the growth of Leishmania promastigotes and were at least 77 and 2,400 times more active than potassium antimonyl tartrate in Sb(III)-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania, respectively. The cytotoxicity of dppz and its complexes against mouse peritoneal macrophages occurred at dppz concentrations at least 6-fold greater than those found to be active against Leishmania promastigotes.To investigate the role of the metal in the improved antileishmanial activity of dppz, the activity of the Sb(III) complex was compared between the Sb-resistant mutants and their respective parental sensitive strains. The lack of cross-resistance to the Sb(III)-dppz complex together with the much lower activity of antimonyl tartrate, SbCl3 and BiCl3 strongly support the model that the metal is not active by itself but improves the activity of dppz through complexation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing resistance of leishmaniasis to first-line drugs like antimonials in some regions limits the control of this parasitic disease. The precise mechanisms involved in Leishmania antimony resistance are still subject to debate. The reduction of intracellular Sb III accumulation is a common change observed in both laboratory-selected and field isolated resistant Leishmania strains, but the exact transport pathways involved in antimony resistance have not yet been elucidated. In order to functionally characterize the antimony transport routes responsible for resistance, we performed systematic transport studies of Sb III in wild-type and resistant strains of L . ( Viannia ) guyanensis and L . ( V.) braziliensis . Those include influx and efflux assays and the influence of ABC transporters and metabolism inhibitors: prochlorperazine, probenecid, verapamil, BSO, and sodium azide. The mRNA levels of genes associated with antimony resistance ( MRPA, GSH1, ODC, AQP1, ABCI4 , and ARM58 ) were also investigated in addition to intracellular thiol levels. A strong reduction of Sb influx was observed in L. guyanensis resistant mutant (LgSbR), but not in L. braziliensis (LbSbR). Both mutants showed increased energy-dependent efflux of Sb III , when compared to their respective parental strains. In LgSbR, BSO and prochlorperazine inhibited antimony efflux and resistance was associated with increased MRPA and GSH1 mRNA levels, while in LbSbR antimony efflux was inhibited by probenicid and prochlorperazine in absence of resistance-associated gene modulation. Intracellular thiol levels were increased in both Sb-resistant mutants. An energy-dependent Sb III efflux pathway sensitive to prochlorperazine was clearly evidenced in both Sb-resistant mutants. In conclusion, the present study allowed the biophysical and pharmacological characterization of energy-dependent Sb efflux pathway apparently independent of MRPA, ABCI4, and ARM58 upregulation, in Leishmania (Vianna) mutant selected in vitro for resistance to Sb III . Prochlorperazine has also been identified as an effective chemosensitizer in both Sb resistant mutants, which acts through inhibition of the active efflux of Sb.