Ruthenium(II) carbon monoxide releasing molecules: Structural perspective, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties

Carbon monoxide has recently emerged to promote tissue regeneration, enhance the innate immune system, and have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. While the first generation Ru(II) carbonyl prodrugs (CORM-2 and CORM-3) displayed several beneficial biological effects, a search in the literature shows that little work has been done to address the drawbacks of CORM-2/-3, exploring other CO triggered methods for the next generation Ru(CO)₂^II based compounds and examining their valuable biological impact. We present a summary of most work related to Ru(II) carbon monoxide-releasing molecules, protein bioconjugation, and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.