The antiproliferative activity of cannabidiol ethyl ethers against human ora epitheloid carcinoma cells

Cannabidiol derivatives (1, 2 and 3), and 5-fluorouracil (4, 5-FU) were tested for their growth inhibitory effects against human oral epitheloid carcinoma cell lines (KB) using two different 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and sulforhodamine B protein (SRB) assay. These compounds showed a potent inhibitory activity in vitro in the micromolar range against KB cell lines. In general, the antitumor activity of these compounds (1, 2, 3 and 4) was in a dose-dependent over the micromolar concentration ranges from $1\;{\mu}M\;to\;100\;{\mu}M$. The comparison of $IC_{50}$ values of these compounds in tumor cell lines shows that their susceptibility to these compounds decreases in the following order: CBD > 5-FU > CBDME > CBDDE by the MTT assay and SRB assay. Cannabidiol derivatives (1, 2 and 3), and 5-FU were tested for their cytotoxic effects on NIH 3T3 fibroblasts using two different MTT assay and SRB assay. These compounds exhibited potent cytotoxic activities in vitro in the micromolar range against NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. In general, the cytotoxic activities of these compounds (1, 2, 3 and 4) were in a dose-dependent over the micromolar concentration range $1\;{\mu}M\;to\;100\;{\mu}M$. The comparison of $CD_{50}$ values of these compounds on NIH 3T3 fibroblasts shows that their susceptibility to these compounds decreases in the following order; CBD > 5-FU > CBDDE > CBDME by MTT assay, CBD > 5-FU > CBDME > CBDDE by SRB assay. These results suggest that cannabidiol (1, CBD) retains the most growth-inhibitory activity against KB cell lines.