Synthesis, characterization and anti-tubercular activity of ferrocenyl hydrazones and their β-cyclodextrin conjugates

• Inclusion complex of β-cyclodextrin with ferrocenyl hydrazones was prepared.
• Inclusion complexes were characterized by FTIR, DSC, SEM, NMR & PXRD methods.
• Inclusion complexes exhibited greater water solubility and antitubercular activity.
• Antitubercular activity of compounds were tested under low and high iron conditions.

A series of ferrocenyl hydrazones and their β-cyclodextrin (CD) inclusion complexes were prepared and evaluated for antitubercular activity under low and high iron conditions. The inclusion complexes were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), 1H NMR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Cyclic Voltammetric (CV) studies. The inclusion complexes exhibited improved aqueous solubility as well as enhanced hydrolytic and thermal stability. They were also found to exhibit greater antitubercular activity than the parent ferrocenyl hydrazones against Mycobacterium tuberculosis under high iron conditions. When grown under low iron conditions these compounds exhibited lower activity suggesting requirement of iron-dependant peroxidase activation.