histologies. Leukemia, colon, ovarian and breast cancer cell lines were relatively more sensitive to these compounds than the other cell lines. The 4-carboxy substituted p-nitrobenzylidene phenyl semicarbazone (1c) emerged as the most active compound with average GI50 value (the molar drug concentration required for the 50% growth inhibition) of 28.6µM. This compound showed greater activity than methotrexate