Copper(II) complexes of diclofenac: Spectroscopic studies and DNA strand breakage

Copper(II) complexes of diclofenac with interesting anti-inflammatory profi les have been prepared and studied by infrared and electronic spectroscopy. In the solid state and in polar and coordinating solvents, all the complex es are solvated binuclear carboxylato-bridged complexes, [Cu(L)(2)(S)](2), where L is monodeprotonatee diclofenac and S is the axially bonded solvent. The effect of the copper(II) complexes on the in vitro DNA strand breakeag e was studied by agarose gel electrophoresis. Relaxation or double stranded scissions of pDNA were observed leading to the formation of linear pDNA. T reatment of pDNA with high concentrations of these compounds caused a disap pearance of pDNA. For the parent drug, sodium diclofenac, no effect on the pDNA was observed. This study presents some indications that the binuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu(L)(2)(S)](2), could have some relevance in the tr eatment of tumor cell lines.