Recent progress in supramolecular coordination complexes for bacterial diagnosis and treatment

Bacterial infections are exacerbated by antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation, posing a serious threat to global health. At present, treatment methods that mainly rely on antibiotics are increasingly challenged by antibiotic resistance, and thus innovative solutions are needed. Supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs) assembled from organic ligands and metal receptors are a promising type of antibacterial agent. SCCs have demonstrated significant application value in the biomedical field, especially achieving remarkable results in tumor treatment and medical imaging diagnosis. Although research on the antibacterial applications of SCCs is still in its early stages, their well-defined antibacterial mechanisms and designable molecular frameworks provide strong potential for addressing drug-resistant bacterial infections. As systematic reviews of the molecular design and mechanisms of SCCs are still scarce, this article reviews the antibacterial mechanisms and design strategies of SCCs, aiming to guide the molecular engineering of advanced antibacterial materials and address the urgent need for effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics.