Mitochondrial dysfunctions are recognized as major factors for various diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological disorders, and a group of diseases so called “mitochondrial dysfunction related diseases”. One of the major hurdles to gain therapeutic efficiency in diseases where the targets are located in the mitochondria is the accessibility of the targets in this compartmentalized organelle that imposes barriers towards internalization of ions and molecules. Over the time, different tools and techniques were developed to improve therapeutic index for mitochondria acting drugs. Nanotechnology has unfolded as one of the logical and encouraging tools for delivery of therapeutics in controlled and targeted manner simultaneously reducing side effects from drug overdose. Tailor-made nanomedicine based therapeutics can be an excellent tool in the toolbox for diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunctions. In this review, we present an extensive coverage of possible therapeutic targets in different compartments of mitochondria for cancer, cardiovascular, and mitochondrial dysfunction related diseases.

Ferrocene-appended copper(II) complexes [Cu(Fc-tpy)(B)](ClO 4 ) 2 (1-3) and [Cu(Ph-tpy)(dppz)]-(ClO 4 ) 2 (4) as control, where Fc-tpy is 4 0 -ferrocenyl-2,2 0 :6 0 ,2 00 -terpyridine, Ph-tpy is 4 0 -phenyl-2,2 0 :6 0 ,2 00terpyridine, and B is a phenanthroline base, viz., 1,10-phenanthroline (phen, 1), dipyridoquinoxaline (dpq, 2), and dipyridophenazine (dppz, 3), were prepared and structurally characterized, and their DNA binding, photoactivated DNA cleavage activity, and cytotoxic properties were studied [Fc = (η 5 -C 5 H 4 )Fe II (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )]. Complexes 1 and 3 as hexafluorophosphate salts were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Molecular structures of [Cu(Fc-tpy)(phen)](PF 6 ) 2 (1a) and [Cu(Fc-tpy)(dppz)]-(PF 6 ) 2 3 MeCN (3a 3 MeCN) show a distorted square-pyramidal geometry at copper(II), with the Fc-tpy ligand and the phenanthroline base showing respective tridentate and bidentate binding modes. The phenanthroline base exhibits axial-equatorial bonding, while the Fc-tpy ligand binds at the basal plane. The complexes showed quasi-reversible cyclic voltammetric responses near 0.45 and -0.3 V vs SCE in aqueous DMF-0.1 M KCl assignable to the Fc þ -Fc and Cu(II)-Cu(I) redox couples, respectively. The complexes bind to DNA, giving K b values of 1.4 Â 10 4 to 5.6 Â 10 5 M -1 in the order 4 ∼ 3 > 2 > 1.Thermal denaturation and viscometric titration data suggest groove and/or partial intercalative mode of DNA binding of the complexes. The complexes showed chemical nuclease activity in the presence of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (0.5 mM) or H 2 O 2 (0.25 mM). Complexes 2-4 showed plasmid DNA cleavage activity in visible light, forming • OH radicals. The Fc-tpy complex 3 showed better DNA photocleavage activity than its Ph-tpy analogue. The ferrocene moiety in the dppz complex 3 makes it more photocytotoxic than the Ph-tpy analogue 4 in HeLa cells.

Ternary cobalt(III) complexes of curcumin (Hcur) and mitocurcumin [Hmitocur, a dicationic bis(triphenylphosphonium) derivative of curcumin] having a tetradentate phenolate-based ligand (H2L), namely, [Co(cur)(L)] (1) and [Co(mitocur)(L)]Cl2 (2), were prepared and structurally characterized, and their photoinduced cytotoxicity was studied. The diamagnetic cobalt(III) complexes show an irreversible Co(III)-Co(II) redox response and a quasireversible curcuminoid-based reduction near -1.45 and -1.74 V SCE, respectively, in DMF/0.1 M [(n)Bu4N](ClO4). The complexes exhibit a curcumin/mitocurcumin-based absorption band near 420 nm. Complex 1 was structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. The structure contains the metal in a CoN2O4 distorted octahedral coordination arrangement with curcumin binding to the metal in its enolic form. Binding to cobalt(III) increases the hydrolytic stability of curcumin. Complex 2, having a dicationic curcuminoid, shows significant cellular uptake and photoinduced cytotoxicity compared to its curcumin analogue 1. The dicationic cobalt(III) complex 2 has significantly better cellular uptake and bioactivity than the neutral species 1. Complex 2 with mitochondrial localization releases the mitocurcumin dye upon exposure to visible light (400-700 nm) in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells through photoreduction of cobalt(III) to cobalt(II). Complex 2 displays a remarkable photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect, giving an IC50 value of ∼3.9 μM in visible light (400-700 nm) in MCF-7 cells while being much less toxic in the dark (>50 μM). The released mitocurcumin acts as a phototoxin, generating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROSs). The overall process leads to light-controlled delivery of a curcuminoid (mitocur) into the tumor cells while the dye alone suffers from hydrolytic instability and poor bioavailability.

Lanthanide(III) complexes [Ln(R-tpy)(cur)(NO3)2] (Ln = La(III) in 1, 2; Gd(III) in 5, 6) and [Ln(R-tpy)(scur)(NO3)2] (Ln = La(III) in 3, 4; Gd(III) in 7, 8), where R-tpy is 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (ph-tpy in 1, 3, 5, 7), 4′-(1-pyrenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (py-tpy in 2, 4, 6, 8), Hcur is curcumin (in 1, 2, 5, 6) and Hscur is diglucosylcurcumin (in 3, 4, 7, 8), were prepared and their DNA photocleavage activity and photocytotoxicity studied. Complexes [La(ph-tpy)(cur)(NO3)2] (1) and [Gd(ph-tpy)(cur)(NO3)2] (5) were structurally characterized. The complexes in aqueous-DMF showed an absorption band near 430 nm and an emission band near 515 nm when excited at 420 nm. The complexes are moderate binders to calf-thymus DNA. They cleave plasmid supercoiled DNA to its nicked circular form in UV-A (365 nm) and visible light (454 nm) via (1)O2 and ˙OH pathways. The complexes are remarkably photocytotoxic in HeLa cells in visible light (λ = 400–700 nm) and are non-toxic in the dark. FACScan analysis of the HeLa cells treated with 2 and 4 showed cell death via an apoptotic pathway. Nuclear localization of 1–4 is evidenced from confocal imaging on HeLa cells. The hydrolytic instability of curcumin gets significantly reduced upon binding to the lanthanide ions while retaining its photocytotoxic potential.

Anticancer platinum (Pt) complexes have long been pronounced as one of the biggest success stories in the history of medicinal inorganic chemistry. Yet there still remains the hunt for the “magic bullet” which can satiate the requisites of an effective chemotherapeutic drug formulation. Pt(IV) complexes are kinetically more inert that the Pt(II) congeners and offer the opportunity to append additional functional groups/ligands for prodrug activation, tumor targeting or drug delivery. The ultimate aim for functionalization is to enhance the tumor selective action and attenuate systemic toxicity of the drugs. Moreover, increase in cellular accumulation to surmount the resistance of the tumor against the drugs is also of paramount importance in drug development and discovery. In this review, we will address some of the attempts in our lab to develop Pt(IV) prodrugs that can be activated and their targeted delivery using robust nanotechnology platforms.

Oxidovanadium(IV) complexes [VO(pyphen)(L)]Cl2 (1, 2) and [VO(pydppz)(L)]Cl2 (3, 4), where L is 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen in 1 and 3) and dipyrido[3,2‐a:2′,3′‐c]phenazine (dppz in 2 and 4) are prepared and characterized. The crystal structure of [VO(pyphen)(phen)](ClO4)2 (1a) shows a six‐coordinate VN5O geometry with a VO2+ moiety in which the polypyridyl ligand binds in a meridional fashion and the phen ligand displays a chelating binding mode with an N‐donor site trans to the oxidovanadyl group. The complexes show a d–d band within 720–750 nm in DMF. The one‐electron paramagnetic complexes are 1:2 electrolytes in DMF. The complexes exhibit an irreversible VIV/VIII redox response near –0.85 V vs. SCE in DMF/0.1 M TBAP. The complexes bind to calf thymus (ct) DNA giving Kb values within 7.5 × 104 to 1.1 × 106 M–1. The complexes show poor chemical nuclease activity in the dark and exhibit significant DNA‐photocleaving activity in near‐IR light of 705 and 785 nm forming ·OH radicals. Complexes 2–4 show remarkable photocytotoxicity in HeLa cancer cells. FACS analysis of the HeLa cells treated with complex 4 shows cell death as highlighted by the sub G1 peak. Propidium iodide staining data indicate apoptosis as the primary mode of cell death.

Oxovanadium(IV) complexes [VO(R-tpy)(cur)](ClO4) (1, 2) of curcumin (Hcur) and terpyridine ligands (R-tpy) where R is phenyl (phtpy in 1) or p-triphenylphosphonium methylphenyl bromide (C6H4CH2PPh3Br) (TPP-phtpy in 2) were prepared and characterized and their DNA photocleavage activity, photocytotoxicity and cellular localization in cancer cells (HeLa and MCF-7) were studied. Acetylacetonate (acac) complexes [VO(R-tpy)(acac)](ClO4) of phtpy (3) and TPP-phtpy (4) were prepared and used as the control species. These complexes showed efficient cleavage of pUC19 DNA in visible light of 454 nm and near-IR light of 705 nm. Complexes 1 and 2 showed significant photocytotoxicity in visible light of 400-700 nm. FACS analysis showed sub-G1/G0 phase cell-cycle arrest in cancer cells when treated with 1 and 2 in visible light in comparison with the dark controls. Fluorescence microscopic studies revealed specific localization of the p-triphenylphosphonium complex 2 in the mitochondria of MCF-7 cancer cells whereas no such specificity was observed for complex 1.

The success of nanoparticle-mediated delivery of antioxidant and antiinflammatory-based neuroprotectants to the brain to improve neuronal functions in neurodegenerative diseases has demonstrated lesser impact instead of achieving its full potential. We hypothesized that these failures were due to a combination of parameters, such as: (i) unavailability of a delivery vehicle, which can reproducibly and efficiently transport through the brain capillary endothelium; (ii) inefficient uptake of therapeutic nanoparticles in the neuronal cell population; and (iii) limited ability of a single nanoparticle to cross the two most-impermeable biological barriers, the blood–brain barrier and mitochondrial double membrane, so that a nanoparticle can travel through the brain endothelial barrier to the mitochondria of target cells where oxidative damage is localized. Herein, we demonstrate optimization of a biodegradable nanoparticle for efficient brain accumulation and protection of astrocytes from oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunctions to enhance the neuroprotection ability of astrocytes toward neurons using neurodegeneration characteristics in SOD1G93A rats. This biodegradable nanomedicine platform with the ability to accumulate in the brain has the potential to bring beneficial effects in neurodegenerative diseases by modulating the stars, astrocytes in the brain, to enhance their neuroprotective actions.