Antiproliferative and Antioxidant Activity of Glycoconjugates of Dithiocarbamates and Their Copper(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes

Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are an interesting class of ligands that have been extensively investigated. These compounds have great potential in the field of inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry. In fact, DTCs have been employed as pesticides, fungicides, antibiotics, and antitumor agents. Their applications seem to be tightly related to their ability to form complexes with several metal ions. In this context, DTC derivatives were synthesized and characterized with NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry (MS), and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Their copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes were characterized by using ESI-MS and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The in vitro cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of DTC derivatives was assessed in human cancer cell lines, also in the presence of metal ions, such as copper(II) and zinc(II). Moreover, their superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity was determined.