Potency of copper(II) complexes towards drug-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium falciparum: Structure-activity relationship, ROS-generation and proteasome inhibition

•Water-soluble copper(II) complexes yields cationic or neutral species with diverse geometries•ROS generation factors: Geometry, aqua lability, steric hindrance, redox potential•Copper(II) complexes inhibited proteasome β2 site selectively•Bioactive ligand main decider of antimalarial potency and amino acid as moderator•Copper(II)-phen complexes could overcome drug-resistant Pf5202 strain•Copper(II) complex induced apoptosis in malaria parasite