Exploring the therapeutic potential of metal complexes in glioblastoma treatment: a focus on brain tumor targeting strategies

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and fatal brain tumors in adults, marked by high recurrence rates, poor prognosis, and a median survival of less than 5 %. Its treatment remains a major challenge due to resistance to conventional therapies and the difficulty of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Despite advancements in surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, GBM’s prognosis remains dismal. This study highlights the emerging potential of metal complexes as therapeutic agents against GBM. Compounds based on metals like ruthenium (Ru), copper (Cu), gold (Au), and platinum (Pt) have shown the ability to induce cytotoxicity through DNA interaction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Notably, in U-251 cells, compounds C45 (0.51 µM), C46 (0.49 µM), C47 (0.29 µM), and C52 (0.25 µM) demonstrated strong potency. In U-87 MG cells, C53 (15.72 nM) and C54 (8.48 nM) were particularly effective. Meanwhile, LN229 cells responded moderately to C77 (1.80 µM), C79 (0.88 µM), and C80 (0.96 µM). These findings suggest that U-251 and U-87 MG cells are more responsive to these metal complexes. Overall, the study underscores the promise of metal-based therapeutics in overcoming the BBB and drug resistance, offering a pathway toward safer, more effective, and environmentally conscious GBM treatments.