Screening for naturally occurring oxyprenylated secondary metabolites as cancer cell growth inhibitory agents

Oxyprenylated plant products are emerging as a novel class of naturally occurring biologically active secondary metabolites. These compounds are typically extracted from plants belonging to the Rutaceae, Apiaceae, Compositae, and Leguminosae families. As a continuation of our ongoing studies aimed to investigate the anti-cancer properties of such compounds, a series of oxyprenylated natural phenylpropanoids and polyketides were synthesized, and their growth inhibitory activities were evaluated in vitro. The compounds were tested on six human cancer cell lines (U373, A549, Hs683, SKMEL-28, PC3, and LoVo) using MTT colorimetric assays. The data reveal that of the chemical groups studied, O-prenylanthraquinones were the most effective agents. Compounds belonging to other classes, like the oxyprenylated chalcones exhibited only a moderate activity.