Cytotoxicity in vitro and potential of quinoid compounds as antitumor agents

[摘要] The search and identification of new active compounds for cancer therapy has focused mainly on research of natural products and their synthetic analogs. This paper aims to systematize the knowledge of the molecular basis of the cytotoxic activity of the quinoid compounds and their use as an antitumor agent. A review was performed on original articles, experimental section, published in the 2004-2014 decade in some databases of the Virtual Health Library (VHL). Numerous studies have supported the ability of quinoid products inhibiting cell growth, based on their ability to damage DNA by oxidative stress and thus have a biorreductive interaction with other biomolecules. Furthermore, the power of cytotoxicity increases quinoid compounds alkylated with side chains attached to rings and quinone flavored motif. Experimental evidence suggests a promising future of these molecules as antitumor agents, based on their high selectivity and cytotoxicity against neoplastic cell lines.

[学科分类] 生理学与病理学

[关键词] cancer;quinones;in vitro cytotoxic activity;oxidative stress;natural product;antitumoral agent