Synthesis of copper and zinc complexes of levofloxacin, a potential drug candidate to treat Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract

Evidences support the idea that endogenous "biometals", such as copper, iron, zinc and exogenous ones such as aluminum, can be involved as factors or cofactors in the etiopathogenesis of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative condition associated with pathological accumulation of amyloid plaques and with the appearance of deposit of neurofibrillary tangles. In AD, the process of b-amyloid (Ab) misfolding and plaque aggregation is greatly influenced by alterations in the homeostasis of the above mentioned metal ions. This project is a part of a research program aimed at the development of metal chelators as drug candidates. Levofloxacin is pointed out as an antimicrobial agent which presents a drug-drug interaction involving the ingestion of anti-acid drugs composed by Group II cations. In this project we propose the synthesis and the characterization of levofloxacin complexes with Zn(II) and Cu(II. The study of the Ab aggregation through the already existing protocols is another aim of this project. (AU)