Several novel betulin derivatives were prepared and evaluated for their antitumor activity. Among others, 3-O-acetylbetulinic aldehyde served as an ideal starting material for the synthesis of 28-acetylenic derivatives that were further transformed into Mannich bases. These hydroxypropargylamines were screened for their antitumor activity in a panel of nine human cancer cell lines in a sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Several compounds showed a noteworthy antitumor activity. The results from acridine orange/propidium iodide staining and annexinV-FITC assays as well as DNA laddering experiments provided evidence for an apoptotic cell death. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Several novel betulin derivatives were prepared and evaluated for their antitumor activity. Among others, 3-O-acetylbetulinic aldehyde served as an ideal starting material for the synthesis of 28-acetylenic derivatives that were further transformed into Mannich bases. These hydroxypropargylamines were screened for their antitumor activity in a panel of nine human cancer cell lines in a sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Several compounds showed a noteworthy antitumor activity. The results from acridine orange/propidium iodide staining and annexinV-FITC assays as well as DNA laddering experiments provided evidence for an apoptotic cell death. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.