This review aims to analyze the emerging number of studies on biological media that describe the unexpected effects of different natural bioactive antioxidants. Hormetic effects, with a biphasic response depending on the dose, or activities that are apparently non-dose-dependent, have been described for compounds such as resveratrol, curcumin, ferulic acid or linoleic acid, among others. The analysis of the reported studies confirms the incidence of these types of effects, which should be taken into account by researchers, discarding initial interpretations of imprecise methodologies or measurements. The incidence of these types of effects should enhance research into the different mechanisms of action, particularly those studied in the field of basic research, that will help us understand the causes of these unusual behaviors, depending on the dose, such as the inactivation of the signaling pathways of the immune defense system. Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in biological media should be addressed in ways that go beyond a mere statistical approach. In this work, some of the research pathways that may explain the understanding of these activities are revised, paying special attention to the ability of the selected bioactive compounds (curcumin, resveratrol, ferulic acid and linoleic acid) to form metal complexes and the activity of these complexes in biological media.

The reactivity of the phosphino-thiosemicarbazone ligand 2-(2-(diphenylphosphino)benzylidene)-N-ethylthiosemicarbazone (HLPEt) toward M(I) halides (M = Cu, Ag, Au) was studied. The complexes obtained, with formulae [Cu(HLPEt)₂]Br (1), [Cu(HLPEt)₂]I·2H₂O (2), [Ag(HLPEt)(LPEt)]·3H₂O (3), [Au₂(HLPEt)₂Cl]Cl·CH₃OH (4) were satisfactorily characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ESI and ¹H/ ³¹P NMR. Moreover, we have obtained the crystal structure of the ligand HLPEt and its sulfide oxidized form HLP(S)Et, which represents a new case of desulfurization process in thiosemicarbazone ligands. In addition, we present the crystal structure of the complexes 1 + H₂O + 3MeOH and [Au₂(HLPEt)₄Cl]Cl·3CH₃OH (5), together with their interesting crystal packing. The complex 5 is an interesting case of a pseudo-chloronium gold(I) complex. The ligand HLPEt and the complexes 3 and 4 display intense luminescence at room temperature.