Antibacterial activity of metal complexes of antifolate drug pyrimethamine

Abstract

Ag(I), Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes of pyrimethamine [5-(4- chlorophenyl)-6-ethyl pyrimidinediamine] have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurement, FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Pyrimethamine act as a monodentate ligand through the pyrimidinic N(1) atom and coordinate the metal ions to give rise to a 4-coordinate tetrahedral and 6-coordinate octahedral for the Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes and linear coordination geometry for the Ag(I) complexes. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of the complexes against some bacteria were determined using the macro dilution method. The Ag(I) complexes showed enhanced activity and their minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bacteria concentration were determined.

Key words: Pyrimethamine, metal complexes, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic, drug resistance.