Tetraazamacrocyclic derivatives and their metal complexes as antileishmanial leads.

A total of 44 bis-aryl-monocyclic polyamines, monoaryl-monocyclic polyamines and their transition metal complexes were prepared, chemically characterized, and screened in vitro against the promastigotes, axenic amastigotes and intracellular amastigotes in THP1 cells. The IC and/or IC values showed that 10 compounds were similarly active at about 2-fold less potent than known drug pentamidine against promastigotes. The most potent compound had an IC of 2.