Biocoordination chemistry of bismuth: Recent advances

Bismuth compounds have been widely used in the clinic for centuries because of their high effectiveness and low toxicity in the treatment of a variety of microbial infections, including syphilis, diarrhea, gastritis and colitis. The efficacy of recently developed bismuth-based triple therapy in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori from patients exceeded the normal PPI-based (proton pump inhibitor-based) therapies. Apart from antimicrobial activity, bismuth compounds exhibit anticancer activities, 212Bi and 213Bi compounds have also been used as targeted radio-therapeutic agents for cancer treatment, and furthermore they have the ability to reduce the side-effects of cisplatin in cancer therapy. The investigation of bismuth interactions with potential targeting biomolecules, including peptides, proteins and enzymes will lead to an understanding of the mechanism of action of bismuth-containing complexes and in turn to the further application of bismuth in medicine.