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ABSTRACT: Microtubule stabilizers are some of the most successful drugs used in the treatment of adult solid tumors and yet the molecular events responsible for their antimitotic actions are not well defined. The mitotic events initiated by three structurally and biologically diverse microtubule stabilizers; taccalonolide AJ, laulimalide/fijianolide B and paclitaxel were studied. These microtubule stabilizers cause the formation of aberrant, but structurally distinct mitotic spindles leading to the hypothesis that they differentially affect mitotic signaling. Each microtubule stabilizer initiated different patterns of expression of key mitotic signaling proteins. Taccalonolide AJ causes centrosome separation and disjunction failure to a much greater extent than paclitaxel or laulimalide, which is consistent with the distinct defects in expression and activation of Plk1 and Eg5 caused by each stabilizer. Localization studies revealed that TPX2 and Aurora A are associated with each spindle aster formed by each stabilizer. This suggests a common mechanism of aster formation. However, taccalonolide AJ also causes pericentrin accumulation on every spindle aster. The presence of pericentrin at every spindle aster initiated by taccalonolide AJ might facilitate the maintenance and stability of the highly focused asters formed by this stabilizer. Laulimalide and paclitaxel cause completely different patterns of expression and activation of these proteins, as well as phenotypically different spindle phenotypes. Delineating how diverse microtubule stabilizers affect mitotic signaling pathways could identify key proteins involved in modulating sensitivity and resistance to the antimitotic actions of these compounds.
Biochemical pharmacology 02/2013; · 4.25 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A series of fourteen N(4)-(substituted phenyl)-N(4)-alkyl/desalkyl-9H-pyrimido[4,5-b]indole-2,4-diamines was synthesized as potential microtubule targeting agents. The synthesis involved a Fisher indole cyclization of 2-amino-6-hydrazinylpyrimidin-4(3H)-one with cyclohexanone, followed by oxidation, chlorination and displacement with appropriate anilines. Compounds 6, 14 and 15 had low nanomolar potency against MDA-MB-435 tumor cells and depolymerized microtubules. Compound 6 additionally had nanomolar GI(50) values against 57 of the NCI 60-tumor panel cell lines. Mechanistic studies showed that 6 inhibited tubulin polymerization and [(3)H]colchicine binding to tubulin. The most potent compounds were all effective in cells expressing P-glycoprotein or the βIII isotype of tubulin, which have been associated with clinical drug resistance. Modeling studies provided the potential interactions of 6, 14 and 15 within the colchicine site.
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry 12/2012; · 2.82 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling of a series of pyrrole compounds related to 3,5-dibromo-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid that evaluates and optimizes C-4 substituents are reported. The key factor for inhibiting tubulin proliferation appears to be the presence of an appropriately positioned acceptor for Cys241b in the otherwise hydrophobic subpocket A.
Medicinal Chemistry Communication 12/2012; · 2.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To study the effects of a regioisomeric change on the biological activities of previously reported water soluble, colchicine site binding, microtubule depolymerizing agents.
Nine pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines were designed and synthesized. The importance of various substituents was evaluated. Their abilities to cause cellular microtubule depolymerization, inhibit proliferation of MDA-MB-435 tumor cells and inhibit colchicine binding to tubulin were studied. One of the compounds was also evaluated in the National Cancer Institute preclinical 60 cell line panel.
Pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine analogs were more potent than their pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine regioisomers. We identified compounds with submicromolar potency against cellular proliferation. The structure-activity relationship study gave insight into substituents that were crucial for activity and those that improved activity. The compound tested in the NCI 60 cell line is a 2-digit nanomolar (GI(50)) inhibitor of 8 tumor cell lines.
We have identified substituted pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines that are water-soluble colchicine site microtubule depolymerizing agents. These compounds serve as leads for further optimization.
Pharmaceutical Research 07/2012; 29(11):3033-9. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Three new O-prenylated flavonoids, amyrisins A-C (1-3), were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Amyris madrensis, along with the known compound polygamain (4). The structures of 1-3 were elucidated on the basis of the analysis of spectroscopic data interpretation. Amyrisins B (2) and C (3) showed moderate cytotoxicity against PC-3 and DU 145 prostate cancer cells with IC(50) values of 17.5 and 23 μM, respectively, while amyrisin A (1) did not show any cytotoxicity at the highest concentration tested, 50 μM. Polygamain (4) exhibited potent antiproliferative and microtubule-depolymerizing activities.
Journal of Natural Products 01/2012; 75(3):494-6. · 3.13 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: 3,5-dibromo-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester is a promising antitubulin lead agent that targets the colchicine site of tubulin. C-2 analogs were synthesized and tested for microtubule depolymerizing and antiproliferative activity. Molecular modeling studies using both GOLD docking and HINT (Hydropathic INTeraction) scoring revealed two distinct binding modes that explain the structural-activity relationships and are in accord with the structural basis of colchicine binding to tubulin. The binding mode of higher activity compounds is buried deeper in the site and overlaps well with rings A and C of colchicine, while the lower activity binding mode shows fewer critical contacts with tubulin. The model distinguishes highly active compounds from those with weaker activities and provides novel insights into the colchicine site and compound design.
ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters 01/2012; 3(1):53-57. · 3.36 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Bioassay-guided fractionation was used to isolate the lignan polygamain as the microtubule-active constituent in the crude extract of the Mountain torchwood, Amyris madrensis. Similar to the effects of the crude plant extract, polygamain caused dose-dependent loss of cellular microtubules and the formation of aberrant mitotic spindles that led to G(2)/M arrest. Polygamain has potent antiproliferative activities against a wide range of cancer cell lines, with an average IC(50) of 52.7 nM. Clonogenic studies indicate that polygamain effectively inhibits PC-3 colony formation and has excellent cellular persistence after washout. In addition, polygamain is able to circumvent two clinically relevant mechanisms of drug resistance, the expression of P-glycoprotein and the βIII isotype of tubulin. Studies with purified tubulin show that polygamain inhibits the rate and extent of purified tubulin assembly and displaces colchicine, indicating a direct interaction of polygamain within the colchicine binding site on tubulin. Polygamain has structural similarities to podophyllotoxin, and molecular modeling simulations were conducted to identify the potential orientations of these compounds within the colchicine binding site. These studies suggest that the benzodioxole group of polygamain occupies space similar to the trimethoxyphenyl group of podophyllotoxin but with distinct interactions within the hydrophobic pocket. Our results identify polygamain as a new microtubule destabilizer that seems to occupy a unique pharmacophore within the colchicine site of tubulin. This new pharmacophore will be used to design new colchicine site compounds that might provide advantages over the current agents.
Molecular pharmacology 12/2011; 81(3):431-9. · 4.53 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The taccalonolides are a class of microtubule stabilizing agents isolated from plants of the genus Tacca. In efforts to define their structure-activity relationships, we isolated five new taccalonolides, AC-AF and H2, from one fraction of an ethanol extract of Tacca plantaginea. The structures were elucidated using a combination of spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS. Taccalonolide AJ, an epoxidation product of taccalonolide B, was generated by semisynthesis. Five of these taccalonolides demonstrated cellular microtubule-stabilizing activities and antiproliferative actions against cancer cells, with taccalonolide AJ exhibiting the highest potency with an IC(50) value of 4.2 nM. The range of potencies of these compounds, from 4.2 nM to >50 μM, for the first time provides the opportunity to identify specific structural moieties crucial for potent biological activities as well as those that impede optimal cellular effects. In mechanistic assays, taccalonolides AF and AJ stimulated the polymerization of purified tubulin, an activity that had not previously been observed for taccalonolides A and B, providing the first evidence that this class of microtubule stabilizers can interact directly with tubulin/microtubules. Taccalonolides AF and AJ were able to enhance tubulin polymerization to the same extent as paclitaxel but exhibited a distinct kinetic profile, suggesting a distinct binding mode or the possibility of a new binding site. The potencies of taccalonolides AF and AJ and their direct interaction with tubulin, together with the previous excellent in vivo antitumor activity of this class, reveal the potential of the taccalonolides as new anticancer agents.
Journal of the American Chemical Society 11/2011; 133(47):19064-7. · 9.91 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Microtubules are major cytoskeletal components in eukaryotic cells and participate in a variety of cell functions. Pharmaceutical agents such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids suppress normal microtubule dynamics, induce cell death and have achieved notable success in cancer chemotherapy. 3, 5-dibromo-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid Et ester is a promising antitubulin lead agent that targets the colchicine site on tubulin. To understand the binding modality of the series to assist drug design, a total no. of 42 analogs were studied. In mol. docking, an ensemble of 5 crystal structures (1sa0, 1sa1, 3hkc, 3hkd, 3hke) representing different conformations of the tubulin receptor were considered as the protein structure. Docking conformations of compds. were generated with GOLD and further analyzed with HINT (Hydropathic INTeraction) scoring function. The study revealed two distinct binding modes of pyrrole-based agents assocd. with two fitted tubulin conformations. The mode of higher activity compds. is buried deeper in the site with more hydrophobic interactions, while the lower activity mode shows fewer crit. contacts with tubulin. The binding modes explain the structural-activity relationships and are in accord with the structural basis of colchicine binding to tubulin. The docking conformation of each compd. was imported as the bioactive conformation in 3D-QSAR studies. CoMFA and CoMSIA models were generated by partial-least-squares (PLS) and validated by leave-one-out (LOO). Two models gave satisfactory predictions (CoMFA: r2 = 0.862, q2 = 0.537 and CoMSIA: r2 = 0.971, q2 = 0.557). The contour maps detd. important ligand features for activity and reflection back to the receptor agreed with the exptl. detd. crystal structures. Tautomerism, a concept often ignored in many mol. modeling applications, was also explored to improve the interpretation of ligands. The modeling studies provide novel insights into the colchicine site and new analog design.
63rd Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society; 10/2011
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Vijay Satam,
Ravi K. Bandi,
Ajaya K. Behera,
Bijay K. Mishra,
Samuel Tzou,
Olivia Brockway,
Balaji Babu,
Matthias Zeller,
Cara Westbrook, Susan L. Mooberry,
Moses Lee,
Hari Pati
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ABSTRACT: Forty-four novel chalcone-inspired analogs having a 3-aryl-2-propenoyl moiety derived from alicyclic ketones were designed, synthesized, and investigated for cytotoxicity against murine B16 and L1210 cancer cell lines. The analogs belong to four structurally divergent series, three of which (series g, h, and i) contain differently substituted cyclopentanone units and the fourth (series j) contains a 3,3-dimethyl-4-piperidinone moiety. Of these, the analogs in series j showed potential cytotoxic activity against murine B16 (melanoma) and L1210 (lymphoma) cells. The most active compounds 5j, 11j, 15j, and 12h produced IC(50) values from 4.4 to 15 μm against both cell lines. A single-crystal X-ray structure analysis and molecular modeling studies confirmed that these chalcones have an E-geometry about the alkene bond and possess a slightly 'twisted' conformation similar to that of combretastatin A-4. At a concentration of 30 μm, compounds 5j, 11j, and 15j did not cause microtubule depolymerization in cells, suggesting that they have a different mechanism of action.
Chemical Biology & Drug Design 09/2011; 78(4):700 - 708. · 2.28 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The taccalonolides are a unique class of microtubule stabilizers that do not bind directly to tubulin. Three new taccalonolides, Z, AA, and AB, along with two known compounds, taccalonolides R and T, were isolated from Tacca chantrieri and Tacca integrifolia. Taccalonolide structures were determined by 1D and 2D NMR methods. The biological activities of the new taccalonolides, as well as taccalonolides A, B, E, N, R, and T, were evaluated. All nine taccalonolides display microtubule stabilizing activity, but profound differences in antiproliferative potencies were noted, with IC(50) values ranging from the low nanomolar range for taccalonolide AA (32 nM) to the low micromolar range for taccalonolide R (13 μM). These studies demonstrate that diverse taccalonolides possess microtubule stabilizing properties and that significant structure-activity relationships exist. In vivo antitumor evaluations of taccalonolides A, E, and N show that each of these molecules has in vivo antitumor activity.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 08/2011; 54(17):6117-24. · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: (R,S)-1 is a potent antimitotic compound. (R)-1·HCl and (S)-1·HCl were synthesized from (R)- and (S)-3-methyladipic acid. Both enantiomers were potent inhibitors of cell proliferation and caused cellular microtubule loss and mitotic arrest. They inhibited purified tubulin assembly and the binding of [(3)H]colchicine to tubulin, with (S)-1 being about twice as potent. Cytotoxicity against 60 tumor cell lines, however, indicated that the (S)-isomer was 10- to 88-fold more potent than the (R)-isomer.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 08/2011; 54(17):6151-5. · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The taccalonolides are novel antimitotic microtubule stabilizers that have a unique mechanism of action independent of a direct interaction with tubulin. Cytotoxicity and clonogenic assays show that taccalonolide A and radiation act in an additive manner to cause cell death. The taxanes and epothilones have utility when combined with radiotherapy and these findings further suggest the additive effects of microtubule targeting agents with radiation on cellular proliferation are independent of direct tubulin binding and are instead a result of the downstream effects of these agents. These studies suggest that diverse antimitotic agents, including the taccalonolides, may have utility in chemoradiotherapy.
Cancer letters 08/2011; 307(1):104-11. · 4.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Taccalonolide A is a microtubule stabilizer that has cellular effects almost identical to paclitaxel. However, biochemical studies show that, unlike paclitaxel, taccalonolide A does not enhance purified tubulin polymerization or bind tubulin/microtubules. Mechanistic studies aimed at understanding the nature of the differences between taccalonolide A and paclitaxel were conducted. Our results show that taccalonolide A causes bundling of interphase microtubules at concentrations that cause antiproliferative effects. In contrast, the concentration of paclitaxel that initiates microtubule bundling is 31-fold higher than its IC 50. Taccalonolide A's effects are further differentiated from paclitaxel in that it is unable to enhance the polymerization of tubulin in cellular extracts. This finding extends previous biochemical results with purified brain tubulin to demonstrate that taccalonolide A requires more than tubulin and a full complement of cytosolic proteins to cause microtubule stabilization. Reversibility studies were conducted and show that the cellular effects of taccalonolide A persist after drug washout. In contrast, other microtubule stabilizers, including paclitaxel and laulimalide, demonstrate a much higher degree of cellular reversibility in both short-term proliferation and long-term clonogenic assays. The propensity of taccalonolide A to alter interphase microtubules at antiproliferative concentrations as well as its high degree of cellular persistence may explain why taccalonolide A is more potent in vivo than would be expected from cellular studies. The close linkage between the microtubule bundling and antiproliferative effects of taccalonolide A is of interest given the recent hypothesis that the effects of microtubule targeting agents on interphase microtubules might play a prominent role in their clinical anticancer efficacy.
Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) 07/2011; 10(13):2162-71. · 5.36 Impact Factor
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Megan Lee,
Olivia Brockway,
Armaan Dandavati,
Samuel Tzou,
Robert Sjoholm,
Vijay Satam,
Cara Westbrook, Susan L. Mooberry,
Matthias Zeller,
Balaji Babu,
Moses Lee
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ABSTRACT: Thirteen methylpyrazoline analogs (1a-m) of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4, 2) were synthesized. The trans-geometry of the two substituted phenyl moieties was ascertained by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study of compound 1d. The cytotoxicities of the analogs against the growth of murine B16 melanoma and L1210 lymphoma cells in culture were measured using the MTT assay. One of the derivatives, 1j, which has the same substituents as CA-4 was the most active in the series with IC50 values of 3.3 μM and 6.8 μM against the growth of L1210 and B16 cells, respectively. The activity of this analog against human cancer cell lines was confirmed in the NCI 60 panel. The other active analogs against L1210 were 1b and 1f, which gave IC50 values in the 6–8 μM range. Compound 1j caused microtubule depolymerization with an EC50 value of 4.1 μM. This compound has good water solubility of 372 μM. Molecular modeling studies using DFT showed that compound 1j adopts a “twisted” conformation mimicking CA-4 that is optimal for binding to the colchicine site of tubulin.Graphical abstractThirteen methylpyrazoline analogs (1a-m) of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4, 2) were synthesized. The mechanism of action of the most cytotoxic analog 1j was found to be microtubule depolymerization.Highlights► trans-Methylpyrazoline analogs of combretastatin-A4 were synthesized in good yields. ► X-ray crystal structure performed on analog 1d. ► The phenyl moieties are locked in a trans configuration about the pyrazoline unit. ► The most active analog 1j caused major microtubule depolymerization similar to C-A4. ► 1j exhibited significant cytotoxicity against murine and human cancer cells.
European journal of medicinal chemistry 07/2011; 46(7):3099-3104. · 3.27 Impact Factor
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Megan Lee,
Olivia Brockway,
Armaan Dandavati,
Samuel Tzou,
Robert Sjoholm,
Alexis Nickols,
Balaji Babu,
Sameer Chavda,
Vijay Satam,
Rachel M Hartley,
Cara Westbrook, Susan L Mooberry,
Gregory Fraley,
Moses Lee
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ABSTRACT: Thirteen hydroxyethyl- analogs of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) that contain the 1-(1'-hydroxyethyl)-1-(3",4",5"-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-(substituted phenyl)ethene framework were synthesized. Molecular modeling studies at the DFT level showed that compound 3j adopts a 'twisted' conformation mimicking CA-4. The cytotoxicity of the novel compounds against the growth of murine B16 melanoma and L1210 lymphoma cells in culture was measured using an MTT assay. Three analogs 3f, 3h, and 3j were active. Of these, 3j, which has the same substituents as CA-4 and IC(50) values of 16.1 and 4.1 μM against B16 and L1210 cells, respectively, was selected for further biological evaluation. The activity of 3j was verified by the NCI 60 cell line screen. Compound 3j causes microtubule depolymerization in A-10 cells with an EC(50) of 21.2 μM. Analog 3j, which has excellent water solubility of 479 μM, had antitumor activity in a syngeneic L1210 murine model.
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters 02/2011; 21(7):2087-91. · 2.65 Impact Factor
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Balaji Babu,
Megan Lee,
Lauren Lee,
Raymond Strobel,
Olivia Brockway,
Alexis Nickols,
Robert Sjoholm,
Samuel Tzou,
Sameer Chavda,
Dereje Desta,
Gregory Fraley,
Adam Siegfried,
William Pennington,
Rachel M Hartley,
Cara Westbrook, Susan L Mooberry,
Konstantinos Kiakos,
John A Hartley,
Moses Lee
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ABSTRACT: The combretastatins have received significant attention because of their simple chemical structures, excellent antitumor efficacy and novel antivascular mechanisms of action. Herein, we report the synthesis of 20 novel acetyl analogs of CA-4 (1), synthesized from 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylacetone that comprises the A ring of CA-4 with different aromatic aldehydes as the B ring. Molecular modeling studies indicate that these new compounds possess a 'twisted' conformation similar to CA-4. The new analogs effectively inhibit the growth of human and murine cancer cells. The most potent compounds 6k, 6s and 6t, have IC(50) values in the sub-μM range. Analog 6t has an IC(50) of 182 nM in MDA-MB-435 cells and has advantages over earlier analogs due to its enhanced water solubility (456 μM). This compound initiates microtubule depolymerization with an EC(50) value of 1.8 μM in A-10 cells. In a murine L1210 syngeneic tumor model 6t had antitumor activity and no apparent toxicity.
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry 02/2011; 19(7):2359-67. · 2.82 Impact Factor
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Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 01/2011; · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Two classes of molecules were designed and synthesized based on a 6-CH(3) cyclopenta[d]pyrimidine scaffold and a pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine scaffold. The pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines were synthesized by reacting ethyl 2-cyano-4,4-diethoxybutanoate and acetamidine, which in turn was chlorinated and reacted with the appropriate anilines to afford 1 and 2. The cyclopenta[d]pyrimidines were obtained from 3-methyladapic acid, followed by reaction with acetamidine to afford the cyclopenta[d]pyrimidine scaffold. Chlorination and reaction with appropriate anilines afforded (±)-3·HCl-(±)-7·HCl. Compounds 1 and (±)-3·HCl had potent antiproliferative activities in the nanomolar range. Compound (±)-3·HCl is significantly more potent than 1. Mechanistic studies showed that 1 and (±)-3·HCl cause loss of cellular microtubules, inhibit the polymerization of purified tubulin, and inhibit colchicine binding. Modeling studies show interactions of these compounds within the colchicine site. The identification of these new inhibitors that can also overcome clinically relevant mechanisms of drug resistance provides new scaffolds for colchicine site agents.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 10/2010; 53(22):8116-28. · 4.80 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A new benzoquinone-type retro-dihydrochalcone, named evelynin, was isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Tacca chantrieri. The structure was elucidated on the basis of the analysis of spectroscopic data and confirmed by a simple one-step total synthesis. Evelynin exhibited cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-435 melanoma, MDA-MB-231 breast, PC-3 prostate, and HeLa cervical carcinoma cells, with IC(50) values of 4.1, 3.9, 4.7, and 6.3 μM, respectively.
Journal of Natural Products 09/2010; 73(9):1590-2. · 3.13 Impact Factor
