RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Many different types of benzodiazepine medications exist to treat a wide array of psychological and physical diseases based on dosage and implications. Benzodiazepines are generally considered as safe and effective drugs in short term; however, cognitive impairments and paradoxical effects occasionally occur. Our recent studies have shown that some 1,4-benzodiazepines exhibit cytogenetic activity (alprazolam, diazepam, and lorazepam) in normal human lymphocyte cultures. 1,5-Benzodiazepine derivatives are used in the synthesis of fused ring compounds, to study the chemical structure-pharmacological activity correlation. We synthesized four compounds of this category with small structural differences. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate their cytogenetic activity in vitro at doses equivalent to the per os doses of the used 1,4-benzodiazepines. Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), proliferation rate index, and mitotic index were evaluated in lymphocytes of peripheral blood cultures from two healthy donors. RESULTS: Three of the newly synthesized compounds exhibited positive cytogenetic activity (statistically significant reduction of SCEs, p < 0.01, t-test), without showing cytostatic properties. CONCLUSION: The observed reduction of the lymphocytes' SCEs because of 1,5-benzodiazepines' activity is remarkable and requires further investigation to improve pharmacological effects.