ReviewAntibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)2025
The Antimicrobial Efficacy of Copper Complexes: A Review.
Review in Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed.
- Bromide-mediated pathway modulation enables energy-efficient electrosynthesis of ultralight hierarchical copper powder.RSC advances · 2026Article
- Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Series of N-Substituted Pyruvamide 4-Allylthiosemicarbazones and Their Copper(II) Complexes: Antibacterial, Antiradical, and Antiproliferative Activities.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Copper Complexes: Emerging Micro- and Nanosystems for Dermatological Treatment.Pharmaceutics · 2026Review
- Antifungal Activity of Conjugated Metal Organic Frameworks: A Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment.Journal of chemical education · 2026Article
- Catalytic and Antitubercular Activities of Multifunctional Copper(II)-Schiff Base Complexes: Insights into Structure, Theoretical Calculations, and Physicochemical Behavior.Inorganic chemistry · 2026Article
- Soy Whey Wastewater-Derived Sodium Alginate/Cellulose Composite Beads for Efficient Copper (II) Ion Adsorption: Performance and Mechanism.Gels (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Antimicrobial activity of topcoat formulation based on synthesized new cyclodiphosph(V)azane derivatives as a biocide for protective coatings.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Cascade-Responsive MXene@Cu-MOF Heterostructure Integrates Antioxidant Activity, Infection Control, and Vascularization for Tracheal Repair.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Conjugation of Functionalized Gold Nanorods and Copper (I)-Based Drug: An Anisotropic Nano Drug Delivery System.Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Multifunctional Se-Cu bimetallic nanoparticles from marineRSC advances · 2026Article
- Ag-decorated Cu-doped ZnO nanomaterial for enhanced antibacterial application.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Selective Copper(II) Complexes againstACS omega · 2026Article
- New Technology for the Production of Transparent Glass Coatings from Multi-Alloy Targets with Antibacterial Activity.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Coordination-based nanocomposite hydrogel promotes tissue regeneration under infection-compromised conditions.Regenerative biomaterials · 2026Article
- Multilayer Ti-Cu Oxide Coatings on Ti6Al4V: Balancing Antibacterial Activity, Mechanical Strength, Corrosion Resistance, and Cytocompatibility.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2025Article
- Antimicrobial Activity and Characterization of a Validated Copper-Complexed Polymer Tape for Surface Disinfectant Applications.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Shikonin-copper coordination nanoparticles for enhanced antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Zinc and copper metallodrugs: a 20-year perspective on therapeutic strategies and future directions.Future medicinal chemistry · 2025Review
- Significance of Nano Transition Metal Complexes as Anticancer and Antibacterial Therapeutic Agents.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Synthesis of First Copper Metal Complex of C=C Extended Curcuminoid Analogue: Structure, β-Cyclodextrin Association, and Biological Properties.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for novel therapeutic agents capable of combating resistant microbial strains. Copper complexes have emerged as promising antimicrobial agents due to their intrinsic redox activity, ability to disrupt microbial membranes, and interactions with vital biomolecules such as DNA and proteins. This review critically evaluates the antimicrobial potential of copper complexes reported between 2018 and 2025, emphasizing their structural diversity, mechanisms of action, and biological performance against a wide range of bacterial and fungal pathogens. Key findings reveal that Schiff base copper complexes, amino acid derivatives, heterocyclic ligands, and mixed-ligand systems exhibit potent antimicrobial activities, often surpassing standard antibiotics. Mechanistically, copper complexes induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, inhibit enzyme function, cause DNA cleavage, and compromise cell membrane integrity. Furthermore, structure-activity relationship (SAR) analyses indicate that ligand type, coordination geometry, and lipophilicity significantly influence antimicrobial efficacy. Overall, the reviewed studies support the development of copper-based compounds as viable candidates for antimicrobial drug development. This review also identifies current challenges and gaps in knowledge, such as limited in vivo studies and toxicity assessments, which must be addressed to advance these compounds toward clinical application.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.