A series of 15 previously reported N⁴-substituted isatin-3-thiosemicarbazones 3a-o has been screened for cytotoxic, antibacterial, antifungal and urease inhibitory activities. Compounds 3b, 3e and 3n proved to be active in cytotoxicity assay; 3e exhibited a high degree of cytotoxic activity (LD₅₀ = 1.10 × 10^{− 5} M). Compound 3h exhibited significant antibacterial activity against B. subtilis, whereas compounds 3a, 3k and 3l displayed significant antifungal activity against one or more fungal strains i.e. T. longifusus, A. flavus and M. canis. In human urease enzyme inhibition assay, compounds 3g, 3k and 3m proved to be the most potent inhibitors, exhibiting relatively pronounced inhibition of the enzyme. These compounds, being non-toxic, could be potential candidates for orally effective therapeutic agents to treat certain clinical conditions induced by bacterial ureases like H. pylori urease. This study presents the first example of inhibition of urease by isatin-thiosemicarbazones and as such provides a solid basis for further research on such compounds to develop more potent inhibitors.

A new series of 12 N⁴-substituted isatin-3-thiosemicarbazones 2a-l has been synthesized, characterized and screened for in vitro cytotoxic, phytotoxic and urease inhibitory effects. All the compounds proved to be active in the brine shrimp bioassay; 2a, 2b, 2d, 2f and 2h-l exhibited a high degree of cytotoxic activity (LD₅₀ = 1.10 × 10^{− 5} M–3.10 × 10^{− 5} M). In urease-inhibition assay, compounds 2a, 2b, 2e, 2f, 2h-j and 2l proved to be potent inhibitors displaying relatively much greater inhibition of the enzyme with IC₅₀ values ranging from 20.6 μM to 50.6 μM. Amongst these, 2a and 2f were found to be the most potent ones exhibiting pronounced inhibition with IC₅₀ value 20.6 μM. All the synthetic compounds showed weak to moderate (10–40%) phytotoxicity at the highest tested concentration (500 μg/mL) indicating their usefulness as inhibitors of soil ureases.

Several isatin-3-thiosemicarbazones (a class of Schiff bases) from our earlier studies have been validated as promising cytotoxic agents and urease inhibitors. Also, a number of isatin-derived imines (Schiff bases) and their Cu(II) complexes have been reported in the literature to exhibit potential cytotoxic activity towards different cells. In view of this, a series of seven new 5-(un)-substituted isatin-derived bis-Schiff bases/ligands 3a–g and their Cu(II) complexes 5a–g were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic and urease inhibitory activities. All the Schiff base ligands 3a–g proved to be active in sulforhodamine B (SRB) bioassay, displaying promising cytotoxic activity against lung carcinoma (H157) cells. Compound 3b was found to be the most potent inhibitor of H157 cells, exhibiting an IC₅₀ value of 2.32 ± 0.11 μM. Similarly, all the metal complexes 5a–g proved to be active in this assay, demonstrating enhanced cytotoxic activity in each case, occurring as a result of coordination of the Schiff base ligands to the metal ion. Compound 5d proved to be the most potent inhibitor of H157 cells, showing cytotoxic activity comparable to that of the standard drug, vincristine (VCN) (IC₅₀ = 1.29 ± 0.06 vs. 1.03 ± 0.04 μM). In the urease inhibition assay, all the synthesized Schiff base ligands except 3f proved to be highly potent enzyme inhibitors, displaying inhibitory activity even better than that of the reference inhibitor, thiourea (IC₅₀ = 0.04 ± 0.004–5.86 ± 0.09 vs. 22.3 ± 1.12 μM), and thus may act as promising lead molecules for further studies. Molecular docking studies were also carried out for bis-Schiff bases 3a–g to elucidate their relationship with the binding pockets of the enzyme.

A new series of thirty nine 5-trifluoromethoxy/fluoro/chloro-isatin 3-hydrazonothiazolines 5a–n, 6a–o and 7a–j were synthesized by cyclization of the corresponding intermediate N⁴-aryl-substituted isatin-3-thiosemicarbazones 3 (prepared by condensation of appropriate isatin 1 with appropriate N⁴-aryl-substituted 3-thiosemicarbazides 2) with 4-chlorophenacyl bromide 4 in absolute ethanol or ethanol–benzene mixture and screened for their cytotoxicity, phytotoxicity, antifungal and urease inhibitory potential. All the synthesized compounds were found to be almost inactive in a brine shrimp (Artemia salina) bioassay, demonstrating IC₅₀ values > 1.62 × 10⁻⁴ to 2.17 × 10⁻⁴ M. In a phytotoxicity assay, out of thirty-nine compounds tested, six i.e. 5i, 6h, 6i, 6k, 7c and 7h proved to be active, showing weak or non-significant (5–30%) activity at the highest tested concentration (500 μg mL⁻¹). Similarly, in antifungal assay, twenty-six compounds i.e. 5a, 5b, 5d–f, 5h–j, 5m, 6a, 6b, 6d, 6j, 6l–o, 7a, 7b and 7d–j were found to be active against one, two, or three selected fungal strains, exhibiting weak or non-significant inhibition (10–30%). Of these, 6d and 6o displayed a relatively better activity profile in terms of the number of organisms inhibited. On the other hand, in a urease inhibition bioassay, all the synthesized hydrazonothiazolines proved to be potent enzyme inhibitors, demonstrating inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 3.70 ± 0.62 to 849 ± 2.26 μM. Compounds 5c, 5g–i, 5k, 5n, 6b, 6c, 6i, 6k, 6l, 6n, 6o, 7a, 7e, 7i and 7j were, however, found to be relatively very potent, displaying outstanding enzymatic activity (IC₅₀ = 3.70 ± 0.62 to 20.9 ± 0.57 μM), even better than the reference inhibitor thiourea (IC₅₀ = 22.3 ± 1.12 μM), and may thus act as valid leads for further studies. Molecular docking studies of the synthesized isatin–thiazolines 5a–n, 6a–o and 7a–j were also carried out to elucidate their relationship with the binding pockets of the enzyme. This study offers the first example of exhibition of urease inhibitory potential by isatin–thiazolines and as such provides a solid basis for further research on these compounds to develop more potent antiurease compounds of medicinal/agricultural interest.

New biologically active tridentate pyrazine-derived NNO, NNS and NNN Schiff base ligands (I, II and III) and their nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes 1–9. have been synthesised and characterised on the basis of conductance and magnetic measurements, elemental analyses, and ¹H-NMR, IR and electronic-spectral data. The synthesised ligands and their complexes have been evaluated for antibacterial activity against Esoherichi a colt- Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae The activity data show the metal complexes to be more antibacterial than the ligands against one or more bacterial species.

A series of 29 previously reported N⁴-substituted 5-nitroisatin-3-thiosemicarbazones 2–30 has been screened for leishmanicidal potential. Compounds 2–4, 7, 8, 10–13, 15–19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28 and 30 exhibited good to excellent antileishmanial activities with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.44 ± 0.02 to 32.38 ± 0.66 µg/mL. Of these, 5, 7, 19 and 28 proved to be the most active antileishmanial agents, displaying activities with IC₅₀ values 1.78 ± 0.35, 0.44 ± 0.02, 1.91 ± 0.04 and 4.28 ± 0.75 µg/mL, respectively, which were even better than the standard drug, pentamidine (IC₅₀ = 5.09 ± 0.04 µg/mL). This study presents the first example of exhibition of leishmanicidal potential by isatin-thiosemicarbazones and as such furnishes a solid basis for further research on these compounds to develop more potent antileishmanial agents.