A metallopharmaceutical is a drug that contains a metal as an active ingredient. Most commonly metallopharmaceuticals are used as anticancer or antimicrobial agents. The efficiency of metallopharmaceuticals is crucially dependent on the respective trace metal binding forms. Examples of metallopharmaceuticals include:
bismuth subsalicylate – a mild anti-diarrheal also used in treating peptic ulcers caused by antibiotic-resistant H. pylori cisplatin and carboplatin – platinum containing anticancer agents gold salts such as auranofin – anti-inflammatory for treatment of arthritis silver sulfadiazine – antibacterial zinc pyrithione – antibacterial and antifungal
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