New uses for old complexes: The very first report on the trypanocidal activity of symmetric trinuclear ruthenium complexes

Six triruthenium complexes ([Ru3O(CH3COO)6(L)3]PF6; L = azanaphthalenes) were investigated toward their trypanocidal activity. Complex 6 (L = 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisoquinoline) showed lower IC50 values than the reference drug for both trypomastigote (1.30) and amastigote (1.06) forms of T. cruzi. High Selectivity Index values (160 and 209, respectively) make compound 6 an outstanding candidate for in vivo tests.213