| Summary: | Several chalcones were synthesized and their<em> in vitro </em>cytotoxicity against various human cell lines, including human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, human prostate cancer cell line PC3, human adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 (colorectal cancer) and human<strong> </strong>normal liver cell line WRL-68 was evaluated. Most of the compounds being active cytotoxic agents, four of them with minimal IC<sub>50</sub> values were chosen and studied in detail with MCF-7 cells. The compounds <strong>1</strong>, <strong>5</strong>, <strong>23</strong>, and <strong>25</strong> were capable in eliciting apoptosis in MCF-7 cells as shown by multiparameter cytotoxicity assay and caspase-3/7, -8, and -9 activities (<em>p</em> < 0.05). The ROS level showed 1.3-fold increase (<em>p</em> < 0.05) at the low concentrations used and thus it was concluded that the compounds increased the ROS level eventually leading to apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through intrinsic as well as extrinsic pathways.
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