Structure-Activity Relationships Reveal A 2’-Furoyloxychalcone as A Potent Cytotoxic and Apoptosis Inducer in Human U-937 Leukaemia Cells

Abstract

In the area of cancer, over the last 40 years, approximately 80% of all approved therapeutic agents were natural products or directly derived from these. Chalcones (1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-ones) are the biosynthetic precursors of flavonoids and they have attracted attention for their antiproliferative properties against various cancers. In this communication we report the synthesis of a new series of chalcones and their cytotoxicity against several human tumour cells. This series of chalcones was characterized by the absence or the presence of a furoyloxy radical on the A ring of the chalcone and the introduction of one