Gentamicin sulfate based metal complexes: Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity

Abstract

The growing resistance of microorganisms to conventional antibiotics necessitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Metal complexation has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the efficacy of existing drugs. This study aims to synthesize and characterize novel metal complexes derived from gentamicin sulfate and evaluate their potential for improved antimicrobial activity. Gentamicin sulfate has been reacted with various metal salts to form novel complexes. The synthesized compounds have been characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, melting point determination, and solubility tests. Their antimicrobial efficacy has been assessed in vitro against a panel of nine pathogenic bacterial and four fungal strains. Several complexes have demonstrated significantly enhanced antibacterial and antifungal activity compared to standard gentamicin. The strontium and cobalt complexes exhibit superior antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella abony, respectively. The nickel, zinc, iron, and magnesium complexes show increased antifungal efficacy against Aspergillus fumigatus, while the zinc, iron, and magnesium complexes are also more potent against Aspergillus niger. The findings confirm that coordination with metal ions can significantly potentiate the antimicrobial spectrum and effectiveness of gentamicin sulfate. These gentamicin-metal complexes represent a highly promising avenue for combating resistant microorganisms and warrant further investigation as alternative antimicrobial agents.