Synthesis and antihepatotoxic activity of some new xanthones containing 1, 4-dioxane ring system

This study was aimed at the synthesis of few xanthone derivatives containing 1,4-dioxane ring system. The reaction of 3,4-dihydroxy xanthone derivatives (3a-c) with ethylene dibromide and epichlorohydrin under approriate reaction conditions afforded xanthone derivatives containing 1,4-dioxane ring system (4a-e). The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed on the basis of their chemical and spectral data. This work was also extended to study the possible antihepatotoxic activity of the newly synthesized compounds against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in female Wistar albino rats by estimating the levels of biochemical parameters such as total proteins (TP), total albumin (TA), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT). Compound 4b [3,4-(2′-hydroxy methyl-1′,4′-dioxano) xanthone] showed a potent antihepatotoxic activity comaparable to the standard reference drug Silybon-70, whereas other compounds exhibited moderate activity. It was also observed that the unsubstituted xanthone derivatives possessing 1,4-dioxane ring have better antihepatotoxic activity in comparision to nitro-and bromo-substituted xanthone derivatives.