Bovine serum albumin interactions with metal complexes

Abstract

The continuous search for new molecules with therapeutic abilities has led to the synthesis and characterization of a large number of metal complexes, proven to exhibit potential as pharmacological agents through their antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antineoplastic properties. As serum albumins play a key role in drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, the study of coordination compounds affinity towards this class of proteins, as well as understanding the mechanism through which they interact is crucial. The aim of this review is to focus on the structure and biological functions of bovine serum albumin, the design of metal complexes that are able to bind to the biomolecule, as well as the experimental techniques employed in the study and evaluation of these interactions. Keywords: drug-protein interaction, coordination complex, fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy.