• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.441-445
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• 2001

Resveratrol, a trihydroxystilbene found in grapes and several plants, has been shown to be active in inhibiting multistage carcinogenic process. Using resveratrol as the prototype, we synthesized several analogs and evaluated their growth inhibitory effect using cultured human cancer cells. In the present report we show that one of the resveratrol analogs, 3, 5,2',4'-tetramethoxy-trans-stilbene, potentiated the inhibition of cancer cell growth. Prompted by the strong growth Inhibitory activity of the compound ($IC_{50}$; $0.8{\mu}$ g/ml) compared to resveratrol ($IC_{50}$; $18{\mu}$ug/ml) in cultured human colon cancer cells (Col2), we performed an action mechanism study using the compound. The compound induced the accumulation of cellular DNA contents in the sub-CO phase DNA contents of the cell cycle by in a time-dependent manner. The morphological changes were also consistent with an apoptotic process. This result indicated that the compound induced apoptosis of cancer cells, and may be a candidate for use in the development of potential cancer chemotherapeutic or cancer chemopreventive agents.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.253-257
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• 2003

Resveratrol analogs were newly synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxicity in cultured human lung and colon cancer cells. 3,5,4-Trimethoxy-trans-stilbene and 3,5,2',4'-tetramethoxy-trans-stilbene were found to be more potent rather than resveratrol. 3,4,5-Trimethoxy-4'-bromo-cis-stilbene was the most active among the test compounds.