Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been shown to be great alternatives to traditional porous materials in various chemical applications, and they have been very widely studied for biomedical applications in the past decade specifically for drug storage. After our review published in 2011 [Keskin and Kızılel, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2011, 50 (4), 1799-1812, 10.1021/ie101312k], we have witnessed a very fast growth not only in the number and variety of MOFs but also in their usage across a broad spectrum of biomedical fields. With the recent integration of molecular modeling and data science approaches to the experimental studies, biomedical applications of MOFs have been significantly accelerated positioning them as pivotal components in the regenerative medicine, medical imaging, and diagnostics. In this review, we visited the diverse biomedical applications of MOFs considering the recent experimental and computational efforts on drug storage and delivery, bioimaging, and biosensing. We focused on the underlying mechanisms governing the molecular interactions between MOFs and biological systems and discussed both the opportunities and challenges in the field to highlight the potential of MOFs in advanced therapeutics for cancer and neurological diseases.

Quercetin, a well-known flavonoid with significant medicinal potential, was derivatized at the C8 position with a tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) moiety, and physicochemical and pharmacological properties, inhibition potential, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxicity of new compounds were evaluated. Physicochemical and pharmacological properties, including lipophilicity, membrane permeability, and P-glycoprotein substrate affinity, were assessed theoretically using the SwissADME software. The metal-chelating ability of the new compounds was evaluated on metal ions Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cu²⁺, whose homeostasis disruption is linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Inhibition potential was tested on the cholinergic enzymes acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, as well as Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase, an enzyme commonly overexpressed in tumours. Antioxidant potential was assessed using the DPPH assay. Cytotoxicity studies were conducted on healthy MRC-5 cells and three cancer cell lines: HeLa, MDA-231, and MDA-468. The results indicated that derivatization of quercetin with THIQ yielded compounds with lower toxicity, preserved chelating ability, improved antioxidant potential, increased selectivity toward the cholinergic enzyme butyrylcholinesterase, and enhanced inhibition potential toward Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase and butyrylcholinesterase compared to quercetin alone. Therefore, the synthesized derivatives represent compounds with an improved profile and could be promising candidates for further optimization in developing drugs for neurodegenerative and cancer diseases.

The aim of this study was to test the potential of Cu-based MOF for removing chlorpyrifos. The effect of ethanol concentration on removal potential was evaluated by testing the MOF’s performance in 100% and 25% ethanolic solutions. Additionally, the effects of MOF concentration and chlorpyrifos concentration were assessed. The results indicated that the selected MOF, [{Cu4(μ3-Hbes)4(μ-hba)}K(H2O)3]n, shows promising potential for application in water remediation.

The potential therapeutic applications of metal chelation in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease have attracted significant attention due to the involvement of metal ion dysregulation in the pathology of the disease. This study investigates the chelation properties of a novel compound, tetrahydroisoquinoline-derivatized quercetin, THIQ-Q, with Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Fe²⁺ ions, aiming to evaluate its efficacy as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Using UV/Vis spectroscopy we analysed the binding interactions and stoichiometry of the compound with these metal ions. Obtained results indicate that the newly synthesized compound, THIQ-Q, forms 2:1 complex with Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ while 1:1 complex is formed with Fe2+, which indicate its potential as a therapeutic agent in managing metal ion dysregulation in Alzheimer’s disease.

Functionalization of biologically important tetrahydroisoquinolines (THIQs) is achieved under visible light irradiation in the presence of Ir photocatalyst under microflow conditions. N– Benzoxazol and N-Benzthiazol substituted THIQs were alkylated at C1 position through Ir promoted C-H oxidation/organocatalyzed Mannich reaction sequence. Reactions were optimized in batch conditions regarding photo- and organocatalyst, temperature and light source and subsequently transferred to the custom-made polymeric type microreactor (polydimethylsiloxane polymer, PDMS). Application of the oxygen porous PDMS microreactor proved crucial regarding Ir catalyzed C-H oxidation step and overall reaction performance.