The vanadium(V) complexes have been investigated as potential anticancer agents which makes it essential to evaluate their toxicity for safe use in the clinic. The large-scale synthesis and the acute oral toxicity in mice of the oxidovanadium(V) Schiff base catecholate complex, abbreviated as [VO(HSHED)dtb] containing a redox-active ligand with tridentate Schiff base (HSHED = N-(salicylideneaminato)-N’-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,2-ethylenediamine) and dtb = 3,5-di-(t-butyl)catechol ligands were carried out. The body weight, food consumption, water intake as well biomarkers of liver and kidney toxicity of the [VO(HSHED)dtb] were compared to the precursors, sodium orthovanadate, and free ligand. The 10-fold scale-up synthesis of the oxidovanadium(V) complex resulting in the preparation of material in improved yield leading to 2–3 g (79%) material suitable for investigating the toxicity of vanadium complex. No evidence of toxicity was observed in animals when acutely exposed to a single dose of 300 mg/kg for 14 days. The toxicological results obtained with biochemical and hematological analyses did not show significant changes in kidney and liver parameters when compared with reference values. The low oral acute toxicity of the [VO(HSHED)dtb] is attributed to redox chemistry taking place under biological conditions combined with the hydrolytic stability of the oxidovanadium(V) complex. These results document the design of oxidovanadium(V) complexes that have low toxicity but still are antioxidant and anticancer agents.

Vanadium compounds are known to exert insulin-enhancing activity, normalize elevated blood glucose levels in diabetic subjects, and show significant activity in models of insulin resistance (IR). Faced with insulin resistance, the present work investigates the antidiabetic performance of a known oxidovanadium(IV)-based coordination compound—[V^IVO(octd)]—and effects associated with glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in mice. The effects of [V^IVO(octd)] were evaluated in a female Swiss mice model of insulin resistance induced by seven days of dexamethasone treatment in comparison with groups receiving metformin treatment. Biological assays such as hematological, TyG index, hepatic lipids, glycogen, oxidative stress in the liver, and oral glucose tolerance tests were evaluated. [V^IVO(octd)] was characterized with ⁵¹V NMR, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electronic absorption spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry (ESI–FT–MS). The [V^IVO(octd)] oral treatment (50 mg/kg) had an antioxidant effect, reducing 50% of fast blood glucose (p < 0.05) and 25% of the TyG index, which is used to estimate insulin resistance (p < 0.05), compared with the non-treated group. The oxidovanadium–sulfur compound is a promising antihyperglycemic therapeutic, including in cases aggravated by insulin resistance induced by glucocorticoid treatment.

Polyoxovanadates (POV) are a subgroup of polyoxometalates (POM), which are nanosized clusters with reported biological activities. This manuscript describes the first toxicity evaluation of a mixed-valence polyoxovanadate, pentadecavanadate, (Me₄N)₆[V₁₅O₃₆Cl], abbreviated as V₁₅. Cytotoxicity experiments using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), larvae of Artemia salina Leach, and in vivo oral acute and repeated 28-day doses in mice was carried out. The LC₅₀ values in PBMC cells and A. salina were 17.5 ± 5.8 μmol L⁻¹, and 17.9 µg L⁻¹, respectively, which indicates high cytotoxic activity. The toxicity in mice was not observed upon acute exposure in a single dose, however, the V₁₅ repeated 28-day oral administration demonstrated high toxicity using 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and, 300 mg/kg doses. The biochemical and hematological analyses during the 28-day administration of V₁₅ showed significant alteration of the metabolic parameters related to the kidney and liver, suggesting moderate toxicity. The V₁₅ toxicity was attributed to the oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, once thiobarbituric acid (TBAR) levels significantly increased in both males and females treated with high doses of the POV and also in males treated with a lower dose of the POV. This is the first study reporting a treatment-related mortality in animals acutely administrated with a mixed-valence POV, contrasting with the well-known, less toxic decavanadate. These results document the toxicity of this mixed-valence POV, which may not be suitable for biomedical applications.

DEVELOPMENT OF AMINOFUNCTIONALIZED SILICA MATRIX AS A POTENTIAL ADSORBENT FOR Pt4+ IONS IN PRECONCENTRATION SYSTEMS FOR FAAS ANALYSIS. The use of materials such as organofunctionalized silica for application in solid phase extraction (SPE) allows the preconcentration of several ions, including Pt, and subsequent detection. This work aims to synthesize and characterize an organofunctionalized silica (Sil-TMSDT) with the silylant N’(trimethoxysilyl)propylethylenetriamine and its application as a solid phase in the preconcentration Pt4+ ions in aqueous media, using detection by flame atomization atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the aminofunctionalization of the silica. For the adsorption process, a preconcentration mini-column with 200 mg of Sil-TMSDT, a solution of 0.485 mg L-1 of K2[PtCl6] at pH 10 and HNO3 0.5 mol L-1 as eluent were used, obtaining an enrichment factor of 15-fold with retention efficiency higher than 99%. The Pt4+ ion determined by FAAS showed a linear response between 0.02 and 0.40 mg L-1; a linear coefficient where R = 0.9981; a 16-fold preconcentration factor; a limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.045 and 0.014 mg L-1, respectively. The proposal system showed analytical applicability to determining Pt4+ ion in an aqueous medium and could be used to detect traces of this potentially toxic metal in biological fluids such as urine and blood.