Compounds of formula G
1
-L-G
2
, where -G
1
is a radical structurally close to cryptolepine, -L- is a single covalent bond or a covalent linking biradical selected from (CH
2
)
r
NR′″(CH
2
)
s
and —(CH
2
)
r
NR′″(CH
2
)
S
NR″″(CH
2
)
t
—, —R′″ and —R″″ are radicals, same or different, selected from the group consisting of H and (C
1
-C
3
)-alkyl;
r
,
s
and
t
are an integer from 1 to 3 and, -G
2
is H or a radical structurally close to -G
1
, are intercalators. They are compounds which intercalate between DNA base pairs, and are useful as therapeutic agents against cancer, as assess by an in vitro test of cytotoxicity with human leukemia cells Jurkat E6-1 and human carcinoma cells GLC-4. Preferred compounds are those where -G
1
is bonded to -L- through a carbonyl amino and -L- is —(CH
2
)
3
NCH
3
(CH
2
)
3
or —(CH
2
)
2
NCH
3
(CH
2
)
S
NCH
3
(CH
2
)
2
— where
s
=2 or 3. -G
1
is a radical selected from (IIa) y (IIb); -G
2
is a radical selected from H, a radical of formula (IIa), a radical of formula (IIb), the N-radical of 1,8-naphthalimide, the C4-radical of 2-phenylquinoline, and the C9-radical of acridine.
化合物的公式为G1-L-G2,其中-G1是结构上接近cryptolepine的基团,-L-是单一共价键或共价连接的双基团,选择自(
CH2)rNR′″( )s和—( )rNR′″( )SNR″″( )t—,其中,-R′″和-R″″是基团,相同或不同,选择自H和(C1-C3)-烷基;r、s和t为1到3的整数;-G2是H或结构上接近于-G1的基团,是插入剂。它们是插入到DNA碱基对之间的化合物,并且可用作治疗癌症的治疗剂,通过对人类白血病细胞Jurkat E6-1和人类癌细胞GLC-4的细胞毒性的体外测试进行评估。首选化合物是通过羰基
氨基与-L-相连的-G1,其中-L-是—( )3NCH3( )3或—( )2NCH3( )SNCH3( )2—,其中s=2或3。-G1是从(IIa)和(IIb)中选择的基团;-G2是从H、公式(IIa)的基团、公式(IIb)的基团、1,8-
萘酰亚胺的N-基团、
2-苯基喹啉的C4-基团和
吖啶的C9-基团中选择的基团。