Biological Activities of Bismuth Compounds: An Overview of the New Findings and the Old Challenges Not Yet Overcome

Bismuth-based drugs have been used primarily to treat ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori and other gastrointestinal ailments. Combined with antibiotics, these drugs also possess synergistic activity, making them ideal for multiple therapy regimens and overcoming bacterial resistance. Compounds based on bismuth have a low cost, are safe for human use, and some of them are also effective against tumoral cells, leishmaniasis, fungi, and viruses. However, these compounds have limited bioavailability in physiological environments. As a result, there is a growing interest in developing new bismuth compounds and approaches to overcome this challenge. Considering the beneficial properties of bismuth and the importance of discovering new drugs, this review focused on the last decade's updates involving bismuth compounds, especially those with potent activity and low toxicity, desirable characteristics for developing new drugs. In addition, bismuth-based compounds with dual activity were also highlighted, as well as their modes of action and structure-activity relationship, among other relevant discoveries. In this way, we hope this review provides a fertile ground for rationalizing new bismuth-based drugs.

Automated summary

Bismuth-based drugs are used to treat ulcers and gastrointestinal ailments, and their synergistic activity with antibiotics makes them ideal for multiple therapy regimens. These compounds have low cost, are safe for human use, and have potential against various diseases. However, their limited bioavailability in physiological environments necessitates the development of new bismuth compounds. This review focuses on recent updates in bismuth compounds, particularly those with potent activity and low toxicity, in order to rationalize the development of new bismuth-based drugs.