Synthesis and antitumor activity of ring A modified 11-keto-β-boswellic acid derivatives

  • Eur J Med Chem. 2015 Mar 6:92:700-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.01.039.
René Csuk  1 ,  Anja Niesen-Barthel  2 ,  Renate Schäfer  2 ,  Alexander Barthel  2 ,  Ahmed Al-Harrasi  3
Affiliations
  • 1. Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Organic Chemistry, Kurt-Mothes-Str.2, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2. Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Organic Chemistry, Kurt-Mothes-Str.2, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
  • 3. University of Nizwa, Chair of Oman's Medicinal Plants and Marine Natural Products, P.O. Box 33, PC 616, Birkat Al-Mauz, Nizwa, Oman.
PMID: 25618017 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.01.039
Abstract

Beta-boswellic acids are interesting triterpenoic acids that show different biological activities. Their cytotoxic potential, as well as that of their derivates remained unexploited so far. In this study we were able to prepare derivatives of 11-keto-β-boswellic acid that showed lower IC50 values as determined by a sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay using several different human tumour cell lines. Thus, the introduction of an amino group at position C-2 led to a significantly improved cytotoxic activity of amine 18. An apoptotic effect of compound 18 was determined using DNA laddering and trypan blue staining experiments.

Keywords
Apoptosis; Boswellic acids; Frankincense; SRB assay; Tumor cells.