Biological activity of two isomeric N-heteroaromatic selenosemicarbazones and their metal complexes

New square-planar Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes with 8-quinolinecarboxaldehyde selenosemicarbazone have been synthesized and characterized by use of elemental analysis, molar conductivity measurements, and IR and NMR spectroscopy. The cytotoxic activity of the ligand, new Pt(II) and Pd(II) compounds, and previously synthesized Pd(II), Pt(II), Cd(II), and Ni(II) complexes with the analo- gous ligand, 2-quinolinecarboxaldehyde selenosemicarbaz- one, was tested against two human cancer cell lines: lung carcinoma (H460) and glioma (U251). The potential of these compounds to induce perturbations of the H460 cell cycle was also evaluated. These substances had an excellent rad- ical-scavenging effect against ABTS radical cations. The best antimicrobial activity, among two yeasts and eight bacterial strains tested, was against Bacillus cereus.