Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Benzo[f]indole-4,9-diones N-Linked to Carbohydrate Chains as New Type of Antitumor Agents

In this work, we report the synthesis of three series carbohydrate-based benzo[f]indole-4,9-diones and amino-1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives evaluated their cytotoxic activity against eight human cancer cell lines. Several compounds showed a promising toward tumor lines (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) < 10.0 ?M). The importance substitution pattern quinone on antitumor was also discussed. 3-Carboethoxy-2-methyl-benzo[f]indole-4,9-dione were more than parent amino-1,4-naphthoquinones. Unlike clinically useful anticancer agent doxorubicin, majority synthesized did not exhibit any lytic effects erythrocytes or normal leukocytes.