Recent studies report that chalcones exhibit cytotoxicity to human cancer cell lines. Typically, the form of cell death induced by these compounds is apoptosis. In the context of the discovery of new anticancer agents and in light of the antitumour potential of several chalcone derivatives, in the present study, we synthesized and tested the cytotoxicity of six chalcone derivatives on human colon adenocarcinoma cells. Six derivatives of 3-phenyl-1-(thiophen-2-yl) prop-2-en-1-one were prepared and characterized on the basis of their (1) H and (13) C NMR spectra. HT-29 cells were treated with synthesized chalcones on two concentrations by three different incubation times. Cells were evaluated by cell morphology, Tetrazolium dye (MTT) colorimetric assay, live/dead, flow cytometry (annexin V) and gene expression analyses to determine the cytotoxic way. Chalcones 3-(4-bromophenyl)-1-(thiophen-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (C06) and 3-(2-nitrophenyl)-1-(thiophen-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (C09) demonstrated higher cytotoxicity than other chalcones as shown by cell morphology, live/dead and MTT assays. In addition, C06 induced apoptosis on flow cytometry annexin V assay. These data were confirmed by a decreased expression of anti-apoptotic genes and increased pro-apoptotic genes. Our findings indicate in summary that the cytotoxic activity of chalcone C06 on colorectal carcinoma cells occurs by apoptosis.

The Biginelli reaction is a multicomponent reaction involving the condensation between an aldehyde, a β-ketoester, and urea or thiourea, in the presence of an acid catalyst, producing dihydropyrimidinones (DHPMs). Owing to their important pharmacological properties, the DHPMs have been studied by many authors. However, most of the methodologies used for the synthesis of these compounds require drastic reaction conditions. In the current study, we report an efficient and clean procedure for preparing DHPMs by the use of citric acid or tartaric acid as a promoter of the Biginelli synthesis in ethanol as solvent. In addition, we have evaluated the antioxidant capacity of the compounds synthesized by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay and the thiobarbituric acid-reactive species test. Two compounds presented antioxidant activity and also reduced lipid peroxidation at concentrations of 200 and 300 µM. In summary, we report an environmentally friendly procedure for the preparation of DHPMs and demonstrate the antioxidant capacity of some of the compounds.

Objective: This study aims to synthesize and characterize 2,4-thiazolidinediones and evaluate their antitumor activity. Method: TZDs were synthesized from three components: 2,4-thiazolidinedione, arene-aldehydes, and aryl chlorides. The reactions were carried out inside a microwave and monitored using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Compounds were identified and characterized using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (CG-MS) and hydrogen (1 H-NMR) and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR). The antitumor activity was analyzed using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction test, in which cell viability was verified in the primary cultures of astrocytes and in rat and mouse glioblastoma cells exposed to the synthesized compounds. The cytotoxicity of all derivatives was analyzed at the 100 μM concentration, both in astrocytes and in the mouse and rat glioblastoma cell lines. The compounds that showed the best results, 4CI and 4DI, were also tested at concentrations 25, 50, 100, 175, and 250 μM to obtain the IC50. Results: Seventeen TZD derivatives were easily obtained through one-pot reactions in 40 minutes with yields ranging from 12% to 49%. All compounds were cytotoxic to both glioblastoma cell lines without being toxic to the astrocyte primary cell line at 100 μM, thus demonstrating a selective activity. Compounds 4CI and 4DI showed the best results in the C6 cells: IC50 of 28.51 μM and 54.26 μM, respectively. Conclusion: The compounds were not cytotoxic in astrocyte culture, demonstrating selectivity for malignant cells. Changes in both rings are important for antiglioma activity in the cell lines tested. TZD 4CI had the best antiglioma activity.

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