The pursuit of innovative therapeutic agents, especially Schiff bases, is capturing the keen interest of medicinal chemists around the globe. Cardanol-derived Schiff bases, which are synthesized extensively from cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) and combined with four different metals, show significant promise in pharmaceutical science. By synthesizing and characterizing cardanol-based Schiff base ligands and their complexes with metals like Cu, Co, Ni, and Zr, a new class of tetradentate ligands is identified. For elucidating a thorough understanding of the complexes' structural and electronic properties as well as the stereochemistry and binding interactions of these experimental complexes, an exhaustive suite of analyses was employed utilizing a range of advanced physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques. These methods included elemental analysis and advanced spectral studies such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Additionally, the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of these complexes were assessed. The findings distinctly indicate that the copper complexes exhibit superior antibacterial and antifungal activities compared to the other tested complexes of Co, Ni, and Zr. This superiority accentuates the prospective viability of copper-based Schiff base complexes as formidable contenders for future antimicrobial therapies.