Antitumor Activity of Arylacetylshikonin Analogues

  • Kim, Seon-Hee (College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Song, Gyu-Yong (College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University) ;
  • Jin, Guang-Zhu (Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, University of Yanbian) ;
  • Ahn, Byung-Zun (college of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University)
  • Published : 1996.10.01

Abstract

Twenty one phenylacetylshikonin analogues were synthesized from various subsitituted phenyl acetic acids and their cytotoxicity values against A549, K562 and L1210 cell lines and antitumor action in mice bearing S-180 cells were measured. All of phenylacetylshikonin analogues expressed a potent cytotoxicity $(ED_{50}, 0.1-1.80{\mu}g/ml)$ against L1210 and K562 cells. L1210 cells were the most sensitive to shikonin analogues among these cells. Except 4-methosyphenylacetylshikonin $(0.098 {\mu}g/ml)$, and a-acetoxyphenylacetylshikonin $(0.10 {\mu}g/ml)$, all other shikonin derivatives sshowed higher $ED_{50}$ values than phenylacetylshikonin $(0.13{\mu}g/ml)$, in L1210. In K562 cell, a-substitution of phenylacetylshikonin $(0.1{\mu}g/ml)$, while other subsitutions increased it slightly; 4-methoxyphenylacetylshikonin $(0.033{\mu}g/ml)$ showed a exceptionally good cytotoxicity against K562 cell. 4-Halogenation tended to decrease the cytotoxic effect on L1210 cells, while it enhanced the effect on K562; 4-bromophenylacetyl $$[ED_{50};(L1210)=1.76{\mu}g/ml, ;ED_{50};(K 562)=0.32 {\mu}g/ml]$$ and 4-chlorophenylacetyl shikonin $$[ED_{50};(L1210)=1.64 {\mu}g/ml, ;ED_{50};(K562)=0.32 {\mu}g/ml]$$. In contrast, A549 cells were much less sensitive to these shikonin analogues which showed $ED_{50}$ values of$1.5-1.35 {\mu}g/ml)$.Most of phenylacetylshikonin derivatives showed good antitumor activity in mice bearing S-180 cells. a-A-cetoxyphenylacetylshikonin and 4-dimethylaminophenylacetylshikonin showed highest T/C value (192-195%), implying that introduction of a-acetyl or of 4-dimethylamino group enhanced the antitumor activity as shown for 4-dimethylaminophenylacetylshikonin (T/C, 192%). It might be due to improvement of water solubility by dimethylamino group in the molecule.

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