VANADIS´CHARMS: FROM THE MITHOLOGY TO THE BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY

S. B. ETCHEVERRY; E. G. FERRER; A. C. GONZALEZ-BARÓ; B. S. PARAJÓN-COSTA; P.A.M. WILLIAMS

Journal of the Argentine Chemical Society

ASOCIACIÓN QUÝMICA ARGENTINA

Año: 2009 vol. 97 p. 127 - 150

0365-0375

Vanadium is a transition element that presents a rich and varied chemical behaviour. Beyond that, vanadium compounds also show interesting biological effects both systems. Vanadium promotes glucose transport and metabolism, lipid, DNA and protein synthesis and has also mitogenic effects in different cell types. Moreover, several vanadium compounds show potential pharmacological activity mainly as insulin mimics, antitumoral and osteogenic agents. Nevertheless, in large quantities it can be toxic to humans and other animals. Finally, another interesting line of research on vanadium bioactivity is the understanding of vanadium mechanisms of action. This subject is strongly related with the activation of several intracellular signalling pathways, the generation of free radicals, oxidative stress, and the disruption of cytoskeleton proteins, among others. Even though a great effort has been made by scientists in this area, a lot of work remains to be done in the future to completely elucidate the vanadium mechanisms of action.