Facile and improved synthesis of 4 beta-aminopodophyllotoxin congeners

Click chemistry-assisted synthesis of triazolo linked podophyllotoxin conjugates as tubulin polymerization inhibitors

A series of new triazolo linked 4β-amidopodophyllotoxin conjugates (9a-l) were synthesized using click chemistry and evaluated for their antitumor activity against four human cancer cell lines. Among them, two compounds (9c and 9j) showed significant anticancer activity with IC50 values of 0.9 and 0.07 μM, respectively. Biological studies are conducted into the cell-cycle distribution of these conjugates inducing G2/M-phase arrest, apart from an increase in the levels of caspase-3 proteins, followed by apoptotic cell death. A tubulin polymerization assay analysis showed that these compounds effectively inhibit microtubule assembly in HeLa cells and, moreover, Hoechst 33258 and Immunohistochemistry staining suggest that these compounds induce cell death by apoptosis. The docking studies showed that compounds 9c and 9j interact and bind efficiently with the tubulin protein at the colchicine site.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 4β-benzoxazolepodophyllotoxin hybrids as DNA topoisomerase-II targeting anticancer agents

A series of new 4β-benzoxazolepodophyllotoxin compounds (9a–j) were prepared and screened for molecular modelling and cytotoxicity against various human tumour cell lines. Cell apoptosis evaluation was performed using Hoechst staining.

Recent progress on C-4-modified podophyllotoxin analogs as potent antitumor agents

Podophyllotoxin (PPT), as well as its congeners and derivatives, exhibits pronounced biological activities, especially antineoplastic effects. Its strong inhibitory effect on tumor cell growth led to the development of three of the most highly prescribed anticancer drugs in the world, etoposide, teniposide, and the water-soluble prodrug etoposide phosphate. Their clinical success as well as intriguing mechanism of action stimulated great interest in further modification of PPT for better antitumor activity. The C-4 position has been a major target for structural derivatization aimed at either producing more potent compounds or overcoming drug resistance. Accordingly, numerous PPT derivatives have been prepared via hemisynthesis and important structure-activity relationship (SAR) correlations have been identified. Several resulting compounds, including GL-331, TOP-53, and NK611, reached clinical trials. Some excellent reviews on the distribution, sources, applications, synthesis, and SAR of PPT have been published. This review focuses on a second generation of new etoposide-related drugs and provides detailed coverage of the current status and recent development of C-4-modified PPT analogs as anticancer clinical trial candidates.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new 4beta-anilino- and 4beta-imido-substituted podophyllotoxin congeners

A series of C-4-anilino- and C-4-imido-substituted new podophyllotoxin congeners have been designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their cytotoxicity and DNA topoisomerase-II (topo-II) inhibition potential. Some of these compounds have exhibited promising in vitro anticancer and topo-II inhibition activity.

Synthesis of 4β-amido and 4β-sulphonamido analogues of podophyllotoxin as potential antitumour agents

The new 4beta-amido analogues of podophyllotoxin or 4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxin have been prepared either by the coupling of 4beta-amino podophyllotoxin or 4beta-amino-4'-O-demethyl epipodophyllotoxin with the corresponding acids in presence of DCC in dichloromethane or by treating the appropriate acid chloride or sulphonyl chloride in presence of Et(3)N. These 4beta-amido and 4beta-sulphonamido derivatives of podophyllotoxin have been evaluated for their cytotoxicity against six human cancer cell lines. Some of these analogues have shown promising anticancer activity.

Facile and efficient one-pot synthesis of 4beta-arylaminopodophyllotoxins: synthesis of DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors (NPF and W-68)

A series of 4beta-arylamino-4'-O-demethylepipodophyllotoxins and 4beta-arylaminoepipodophyllotoxins have been synthesized with significant stereoselectivity and improved yields by employing the methanesulphonic acid/sodium iodide reagent system. Compounds NPF. W-68 and other DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors are prepared in good to excellent yields by this method and these are active or more active than etoposide in their inhibition of the human DNA topoisomerase II.