Synthesis and evaluation of ethylnitrosoureas of substituted naphthalimides as anticancer compounds.

Four new ethylnitrosourea derivatives of substituted naphthalimides 3a-d have been synthesized from the respective N-(2-ethylamino) naphthalimides. Their chemical alkylating activity compared with the clinical drug CCNU and an experimental compound Mitonafide indicated that they possess lower alkylating activity than CCNU and comparable activity with the latter. Their anti-tumor efficacies were assessed in vivo in two murine ascites tumors namely Sarcoma-180 (S-180) and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) by measuring the increase in median survival times (MST) of drug treated (T) over untreated control (C) mice. CCNU and Mitonafide were used as positive controls for comparison. The representative compound 3a has displayed marginal anti-tumoral activity in these tumors. Three compounds were further screened in vitro in 4 different human tumor cell lines but no significant activity was observed in those lines. These compounds moderately inhibit the synthesis of DNA and RNA in S-180 tumor cells.

Antitumor activity of Nitronaphthal-NU, a novel mixed-function agent.

Nitronaphthal-NU (Compound 1) was synthesized as a mixed-function antitumor agent based on the structures of the clinical drug CCNU and experimental compound Mitonafide. In vitro screening in four human tumor cell lines namely SNB-78 CNS, HOP-62 Lung, T47D Breast and SiHa - cervix revealed significant cytotoxicity in the former two cell lines much greater than CCNU and comparable to Mitonafide used as standards. In vivo antitumoral potency assessed in the murine ascites tumors Sarcoma-180 (S-180) and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) by measuring the increase in median survival times of drug treated (T) over untreated control (C) mice, revealed highly significant (p<0.001) tumor regression effects greater than standards. Life span of mice bearing advanced tumor for 10 days before the drug challenge was also considerably increased. Its toxicity was assessed in vivo in normal and S-180 bearing mice by measuring drug-induced changes in haematological parameters, femoral bone marrow and splenic cellularities as well as hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity sequentially on days 9, 15 and 21 following drug treatment at the optimum dose of 50 mg/kg from day 1 to 7. Results indicate that it did not adversely affect haematopoiesis. The other parameters were within normal limit. The compound comparable to standards inhibited the synthesis of DNA and RNA in S-1 80 tumor cells.