Chemistry in biosystem—A contemporary review of Schiff bases and their metal complexes as antioxidants and anti-fungal agents

Schiff bases are a class of organic compounds which have good chelating properties. Due to this, they can form complexes with metal ions of the transition series. Schiff bases and their derivatives are bioactive and hence find widespread uses in various fields of inorganic, organic and medicinal chemistry. These are synthesised by condensation reactions and have been studied extensively as they can exhibit biological properties like anti-oxidant, anti-fungal, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, apart from finding uses in the field of material science. With the advent of nanotechnology and its increasing importance, the introduction of nanoparticles of Schiff bases can increase the effectiveness of their various biological properties. In the present article, we aim at providing an exhaustive review of the behaviour of metal complexes of Schiff bases and their various derivatives as anti-oxidant and anti-fungal agents. The most pertinent and contemporary literature has been chosen for this review article.