Antimicrobial mechanism of copper (II) 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridyl complex on bacterial and fungal pathogens

Copper based metallo drugs were prepared and their antibacterial, antifungal, molecular mechanism of [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H2O and [Cu(SAla)bpy]·H2O complexes were investigated. The [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H2O and [Cu(SAla)bpy]·H2O were derived from the Schiff base alanine salicylaldehyde. [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H2O showed noteworthy antibacterial and antifungal activity than the [Cu(SAla)bpy]·H2O and ligand alanine, salicylaldehyde. The [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H2O complex showed significant antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella paratyphi and the antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans in well diffusion assay. The mode of action of copper (II) complex was analyzed by DNA cleavage activity and in silico molecular docking. The present findings provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of copper (II) complexes in susceptible bacterial and fungal pathogens. These results collectively support the use of [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H2O complex as a suitable drug to treat bacterial and fungal infections.