Differential effects of Co(III), Ni(II), and Ru(III) amine complexes on Sindbis virus

Abstract Transition metal complexes [Co(cyclen)(NH 3 ) 2 ](ClO 4 ) 3 ⋅H 2 O (cyclen = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) ( 2 ), [Co(NH 3 ) 5 (OH 2 )](CF 3 SO 3 ) 3 ( 3 ) [Ni(NH 3 ) 6 ]Br 2 ( 4 ) and [Ru(NH 3 ) 6 ]Cl 3 ( 5 ) were tested against Sindbis infected baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells and show differential effects from the previously reported anti-viral complex [Co(NH 3 ) 6 ]Cl 3 ( 1 ). The macrocyclic complex 2 and labile aqua complex 3 show either no or little effect on the survival on Sindbis virus-infected cells as compared to that for 1 , which show a monotonic increase in % BHK cell survival. Nickel and ruthenium ammine complexes 4 and 5 had a moderate influence of cell survival. While the results showed some anti-viral activity for some of the structural variations, it appears that 1 , with its potential to be a broad-spectrum anti-viral compound, occupies a unique position in its ability to both significantly enhance cell survival and to decrease viral expression of infected cells. We also show that 1 also shows anti-viral activity against Adenovirus lending support to the broad-spectrum potential of this complex.