Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling of 1,2,3-triazole analogs of combretastatin A-1

Oleanane-Type Triterpene Conjugates with 1H-1,2,3-Triazole Possessing of Fungicidal Activity

The triazole pesticide is an organic nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound with a 1,2,3-Triazole ring. In order to develop a potential glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (GlmS) inhibitor bactericide, 18 triazole-derivative compounds were synthesized efficiently. In addition, these compounds have not been reported in the literature. The structure was confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The potential use of the most promising derivatives has been investigated by testing their antifungal activity and enzyme inhibitory activity, revealing inhibitory activities in the low micromolar range. Among them, the antifungal effects of compounds 1e, 1f, 1g, 2e, 2f, and 2g on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were particularly significant, all of which were above 83%. These compounds will be further investigated as potential antifungal lead compounds. Their structure–activity relationships are discussed based on the effects of substituted phenyl groups on compounds.

Developments in the Application of 1,2,3-Triazoles in Cancer Treatment

BACKGROUND

The impact of cancer on modern society cannot be emphasized enough in terms of both economic and human costs. Cancer treatments are known, unfortunately, for their side effects - frequently numerous and severe. Drug resistance is another issue medical professionals have to tackle when dealing with neoplastic illnesses. Cancer rates are rising worldwide due to various factors - low-quality nutrition, air and water pollution, tobacco use, etc. For those and many other reasons, drug discovery in the field of oncology is a top priority in modern medical science.

OBJECTIVE

To present the reader with the latest in cancer drug discovery with regard to 1,2,3-triazole- containing molecules in a clear, concise way so as to make the present review a useful tool for researchers.

METHODS

Available information present on the role of 1,2,3-triazoles in cancer treatment was collected. Data was collected from scientific literature, as well as from patents.

RESULTS

A vast number of triazole-containing molecules with antiproliferative properties have been proposed, synthesized and tested for anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo. The substances vary greatly when considering molecular structure, proposed mechanisms of action and affected cancer cell types.

CONCLUSION

Triazole-containing molecules with anticancer activity are being widely synthesized and extensively tested. They vary significantly in terms of both structure and mechanism of action. The methods for their preparation and administration are well established and with proven reproducibility. These facts suggest that triazoles may play an important role in the discovery of novel antiproliferative medications with improved effectiveness and safety profile.

Combretastatin A-4 sulfur-containing heterocyclic derivatives: Synthesis, antiproliferative activities and molecular docking studies

Combretastatin A-4 inspired heterocyclic derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their biological activities on tubulin polymerization and cell proliferation. Among the 19 described sulfur-containing compounds, derivatives (Z)-4h and (Z)-4j exhibited interesting in cellulo tubulin polymerization inhibition and antiproliferative activities with IC₅₀ values for six different cell lines between 8 and 27 nM. Furthermore, in silico docking studies within the colchicine/CA-4 binding site of tubulin were carried out to understand the interactions of our products with the protein target. The effects on the cell cycle of follicular lymphoma cells were also investigated at 1-10 nM concentrations showing that apoptotic processes occurred.

Application of triazoles as bioisosteres and linkers in the development of microtubule targeting agents

The triazole ring system has emerged as an exciting prospect in the optimization studies of promising lead molecules in the quest for new drugs for clinical usage. Several marketed drugs possess these versatile moieties that are used in a wide range of medical indications. This stems from the unique intrinsic properties of triazoles, which impart stability to the basic pharmacophoric unit with an added advantage of being a bioisostere of different chemical functionalities. In the last decade, the use of triazoles as bioisosteres and linkers in the development of microtubule targeting agents has been extensively investigated. The present review highlights the advances in this promising area of drug discovery and development.

Preparation of Sesquiterpene Lactone Derivatives: Cytotoxic Activity and Selectivity of Action

Cancer is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. Solid tumors represent the great majority of cancers (>90%) and the chemotherapeutic agents used for their treatment are still characterized by variable efficacy and toxicity. Sesquiterpene lactones are a group of naturally occurring compounds that have displayed a diverse range of biological activities including cytotoxic activity. A series of oxygenated and oxy-nitrogenated derivatives (4⁻15) from the sesquiterpene lactones cumanin (1), helenalin (2), and hymenin (3) were synthesized. The silylated derivatives of helenalin, compounds 13 and 14, were found to be the most active against tumor cell lines, with GI₅₀ values ranging from 0.15 to 0.59 μM. The ditriazolyl cumanin derivative (11) proved to be more active and selective than cumanin in the tested breast, cervix, lung, and colon tumor cell lines. This compound was the least toxic against splenocytes (CC₅₀ = 524.1 µM) and exhibited the greatest selectivity on tumor cell lines. This compound showed a GI₅₀ of 2.3 µM and a SI of 227.9 on WiDr human colon tumor cell lines. Thus, compound 11 can be considered for further studies and is a candidate for the development of new antitumor agents.

Catalysis Concepts in Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry

Catalysis has strongly emerged in the field of medicinal inorganic chemistry as a suitable tool to deliver new drug candidates and to overcome drawbacks associated to metallodrugs. In this Concept article, we discuss representative examples of how catalysis has been applied in combination with metal complexes to deliver new therapy approaches. In particular, we explain key achievements in the design of catalytic metallodrugs that damage biomolecular targets and in the development of metal catalysis schemes for the activation of exogenous organic prodrugs. Moreover, we discuss our recent discoveries on the flavin-mediated bioorthogonal catalytic activation of metal-based prodrugs; a new catalysis strategy in which metal complexes are unconventionally employed as substrates rather than catalysts.

Sea Urchin Embryo Model As a Reliable in Vivo Phenotypic Screen to Characterize Selective Antimitotic Molecules. Comparative evaluation of Combretapyrazoles, -isoxazoles, -1,2,3-triazoles, and -pyrroles as Tubulin-Binding Agents

A series of both novel and reported combretastatin analogues, including diarylpyrazoles, -isoxazoles, -1,2,3-triazoles, and -pyrroles, were synthesized via improved protocols to evaluate their antimitotic antitubulin activity using in vivo sea urchin embryo assay and a panel of human cancer cells. A systematic comparative structure-activity relationship studies of these compounds were conducted. Pyrazoles 1i and 1p, isoxazole 3a, and triazole 7b were found to be the most potent antimitotics across all tested compounds causing cleavage alteration of the sea urchin embryo at 1, 0.25, 1, and 0.5 nM, respectively. These agents exhibited comparable cytotoxicity against human cancer cells. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that compounds substituted with 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl ring A and 4-methoxyphenyl ring B displayed the highest activity. 3-Hydroxy group in the ring B was essential for the antiproliferative activity in the diarylisoxazole series, whereas it was not required for potency of diarylpyrazoles. Isoxazoles 3 with 3,4,5-trimethoxy-substituted ring A and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-substituted ring B were more active than the respective pyrazoles 1. Of the azoles substituted with the same set of other aryl pharmacophores, diarylpyrazoles 1, 4,5-diarylisoxazoles 3, and 4,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles 7 displayed similar strongest antimitotic antitubulin effect followed by 3,4-diarylisoxazoles 5, 1,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles 8, and pyrroles 10 that showed the lowest activity. Introduction of the amino group into the heterocyclic core decreased the antimitotic antitubulin effect of pyrazoles, triazoles, and to a lesser degree of 4,5-diarylisoxazoles, whereas potency of the respective 3,4-diarylisoxazoles was increased.

Synthesis, molecular modeling and biological evaluation of potent analogs of 2-methoxyestradiol

The endogenous steroid 2-methoxyestradiol (1) has attracted a great interest as a lead compound towards the development of new anti-cancer drugs. Herein, the synthesis, molecular modeling, anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects of ten 2-ethyl and four 2-methoxy analogs of estradiol are reported. The ethyl group was introduced to the steroid A-ring using a novel Friedel-Crafts alkylation protocol. Several analogs displayed potent anti-proliferative activity with IC₅₀-values in the submicromolar range towards the CEM human leukemia cancer cell line. As such, all of these compounds proved to be more active than the lead compound 2-methoxyestradiol (1) in these cells. The six most cytostatic analogs were also tested as anti-angiogenic agents using an in vitro tube formation assay. The IC₅₀-values were determined to be in the range of 0.1 μM ± 0.03 and 1.1 μM ± 0.2. These six compounds were also modest inhibitors against tubulin polymerization with the most potent inhibitor was 14b (IC₅₀ = 2.1 ± 0.1 μM). Binding studies using N,N'-ethylene-bis(iodoacetamide) revealed that neither14a or 14b binds to the colchicine binding site in the tubulin protein, in contrast to 2-methoxyestradiol (1). These observations were supported by molecular modeling studies. Results from a MDA-MB-231 cell cycle assay showed that both 10e and 14b gave accumulation in the G2/M phase resulting in induction of apoptosis. The results presented herein shows that the novel analogs reported exhibit their anticancer effects via several modes of action.

A new antiproliferative noscapine analogue: chemical synthesis and biological evaluation

Noscapine, a naturally occurring opium alkaloid, is a widely used antitussive medication. Noscapine has low toxicity and recently it was also found to possess cytotoxic activity which led to the development of many noscapine analogues. In this paper we report on the synthesis and testing of a novel noscapine analogue. Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay using SKBR-3 and paclitaxel-resistant SKBR-3 breast cancer cell lines using different concentrations for both noscapine and the novel compound. Microtubule polymerization assay was used to determine the effect of the new compound on microtubules. To compare the binding affinity of noscapine and the novel compound to tubulin, we have done a fluorescence quenching assay. Finally, in silico methods using docking calculations were used to illustrate the binding mode of the new compound to α,β-tubulin. Our cytotoxicity results show that the new compound is more cytotoxic than noscapine on both SKBR-3 cell lines. This was confirmed by the stronger binding affinity of the new compound, compared to noscapine, to tubulin. Surprisingly, our new compound was found to have strong microtubule-destabilizing properties, while noscapine is shown to slightly stabilize microtubules. Our calculation indicated that the new compound has more binding affinity to the colchicine-binding site than to the noscapine site. This novel compound has a more potent cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines than its parent, noscapine, and hence should be of interest as a potential anti-cancer drug.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel combretastatin A-4 thio derivatives as microtubule targeting agents

A series of novel combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) thio derivatives containing different molecular cores, namely α-phenylcinnamic acids (core 1), (Z)-stilbenes (core 2), 4,5-disubstituted oxazoles (core 3), and 4,5-disubstituted N-methylimidazoles (core 4), as cis-restricted analogues were designed and synthesized. They were selected with the use of a parallel virtual screening protocol including the generation of a virtual combinatorial library based on an elaborated synthesis protocol of CA-4 analogues. The selected compounds were evaluated for antiproliferative activity against a panel of six human cancer cell lines (A431, HeLa, MCF7, MDA-MB-231, A549 and SKOV) and two human non-cancer cell lines (HaCaT and CCD39Lu). Moreover, the effect of the test compounds on the inhibition of tubulin polymerization in vitro was estimated. In the series studied here, oxazole-bridged analogues exhibited the most potent antiproliferative activity. Compounds 23a, 23e, and 23i efficiently inhibited tubulin polymerization with IC₅₀ values of 0.86, 1.05, and 0.85 μM, respectively. Thio derivative 23i, when compared to its oxygen analogue 23j, showed a 5-fold higher inhibitory impact on tubulin polymerization. Compounds 23e and 23i, which showed both best cytotoxic and antitubulin activity, were further studied in terms of their effect on cell cycle distribution and proapoptotic activity. Compound 23e induced a statistically significant block of the cell cycle at the G2/M phase in A431, HaCaT, HeLa, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SKOV-3 cells to an extent comparable to that observed in CA-4. In HeLa and SKOV-3 cells incubated with 23i, a concentration-dependent block of the G2/M phase was observed. The proapoptotic effect of 23e and 23i in A431, HaCaT, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SKOV-3 was demonstrated with ELISA assay and double staining with Annexin V-FITC/PI. The results indicated that compound 23e and 23i may serve as novel lead compounds in research on more effective anticancer agents.

Synthesis of Novel Benzimidazole and Benzothiazole Derivatives Bearing a 1,2,3-triazole Ring System and their Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity

A series of 20 novel benzimidazole and benzothiazole derivatives linked to a 1,2,3-triazole ring system was synthesised, characterised and evaluated for in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity. Several copper catalysts and solvents were screened to establish the optimal conditions for the preparation of the target compounds. Three different linkers were used to optimise the enzyme inhibitory effect. Out of the 20 compounds, 13 showed some AChE inhibition. The most potent compound, which showed 84% inhibition at 100 μM, contained a 1-(2-fluorobenzyl)-1,2,3-triazole linked to a benzimidazole group. A docking simulation study showed that the most active compound bound preferentially to the catalytic anionic subsite of the AChE enzyme.

Copper Catalysis in Living Systems and In Situ Drug Synthesis

The copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction has proven to be a pivotal advance in chemical ligation strategies with applications ranging from polymer fabrication to bioconjugation. However, application in vivo has been limited by the inherent toxicity of the copper catalyst. Herein, we report the application of heterogeneous copper catalysts in azide-alkyne cycloaddition processes in biological systems ranging from cells to zebrafish, with reactions spanning from fluorophore activation to the first reported in situ generation of a triazole-containing anticancer agent from two benign components, opening up many new avenues of exploration for CuAAC chemistry.

A Practical Approach for the Synthesis of Novel Triazolo-fused Benzazepine Derivatives Using a Multi-component Reaction and an Intramolecular C–H Arylation

An efficient and straightforward method has been developed for the preparation of triazolo-fused benzazepines by a facile, one-pot Ugi multi-component reaction/click reaction. In this strategy, the Ugi-reaction products were coupled by a click reaction, thus integrating the triazole fragment into the benzazepine structure using an intramolecular C–H arylation. The corresponding products were obtained in good yields without unfavourable by-products.

Synthesis, structure and in vitro cytostatic activity of ferrocene-Cinchona hybrids

Exploring copper(I)- and ruthenium(II)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloadditions and a Sonogashira protocol, novel cytostatic ferrocene-cinchona hybrids were synthetized displaying significant in vitro activity on HepG-2 and HT-29 cells. Preliminary SAR studies disclosed that compounds incorporating linkers with 1,2,3-triazole and chalchone residues can be considered as promising lead structures. According to the best of our knowledge this is the first letter on the incorporation of ferrocene nucleus in the reputed cinchona family via triazole and chalcone linkers with established pharmaceutical profile.

Synthesis and anti-cancer screening of novel heterocyclic-(2H)-1,2,3-triazoles as potential anti-cancer agents

trans-Cyanocombretastatin A-4 (trans-CA-4) analogues have been structurally modified to afford their more stable CA-4-(2H)-1,2,3-triazole analogues. Fifteen novel, stable 4-heteroaryl-5-aryl-(2H)-1,2,3-triazole CA-4 analogues (8a-i, 9 and 11a-e) were evaluated for anti-cancer activity against a panel of 60 human cancer cell lines. These analogues displayed potent cytotoxic activity against both hematological and solid tumor cell lines with GI50 values in the low nanomolar range. The most potent compound, 8a, was a benzothiophen-2-yl analogue that incorporated a 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl moiety connected to the (2H)-1,2,3-triazole ring system. Compound 8a exhibited GI50 values of <10 nM against 80% of the cancer cell lines in the panel. Three triazole analogues, 8a, 8b and 8g, showed particularly potent growth inhibition against the triple negative Hs578T breast cancer cell line with GI50 values of 10.3 nM, 66.5 nM and 20.3 nM, respectively. Molecular docking studies suggest that these compounds bind to the same hydrophobic pocket at the interface of α- and β-tubulin that is occupied by colchicine and cis-CA-4, and are stabilized by Van der Waals' interactions with surrounding amino acid residues. Compound 8a was found to inhibit tubulin polymerization in vitro with an IC50 value of 1.7 µM. The potent cytotoxicity of these novel compounds and their inhibition of tubulin dynamics make these triazole analogues promising candidates for development as anti-cancer drugs.

Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling of new analogs of the anti-cancer agent 2-methoxyestradiol: potent inhibitors of angiogenesis

Structural-activity studies on the steroid 2-methoxyestradiol revealed a new analog that exhibited potent inhibition of angiogenesis and cytotoxic effects.

Design and synthesis of pironetin analogue/combretastatin A-4 hybrids containing a 1,2,3-triazole ring and evaluation of their cytotoxic activity

We here describe the preparation of a series of hybrid molecules containing a combretastatin A-4 moiety and a pironetin analogue fragment connected through a spacer of variable length which includes a 1,2,3-triazole ring. The cytotoxic activities of these compounds have been measured. Relations between structure and cytotoxicity are discussed. Some of the tested compounds showed cytotoxicity values of the same order of magnitude as combretastatin A-4 and were less toxic than the latter compound for normal cells.

Synthesis, cytotoxic effects and tubulin polymerization inhibition of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole analogs of 2-methoxyestradiol

Thirteen 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole analogs of 2-methoxyestradiol were prepared and tested for their cytotoxic and tubulin polymerization inhibition effects. Two compounds, 11j and 11k, exhibited anti-proliferative effects at low micromolar concentrations. The two analogs 11j and 11k also inhibited tubulin assembly with IC50 values of 8.1 and 5.9μM, respectively.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of conformationally restricted 1,2,3-triazole analogues of combretastatins in the sea urchin embryo model and against human cancer cell lines

A series of 1,5-diaryl- and 4,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazole derivatives of combretastatin A4 were synthesized and evaluated as antimitotic microtubule destabilizing agents using the sea urchin embryo model. Structure-activity relationship studies identified compounds substituted with 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl and 3,4-methylenedioxy-5-methoxyphenyl ring A and 4-methoxyphenyl ring B as potent antiproliferative agents with high cytotoxicity against a panel of human cancer cell lines including multi-drug resistant cells. 4,5-Diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles (C-C geometry) were found to be considerably more active than the respective 1,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles (N-C geometry). Compound 10ad' induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human T-leukemia Jurkat cells via caspase 2/3/9 activation and downregulation of the antiapoptotic protein XIAP. A mitotic catastrophe has been evaluated as another possible cell death mode.

The synthesis, antiviral, cytostatic and cytotoxic evaluation of a new series of acyclonucleotide analogues with a 1,2,3-triazole linker

The efficient synthesis of a new series of acyclonucleotide analogues with a 1,2,3-triazole linker is described starting from diethyl azidomethyl-, 2-azidoethyl-, 3-azidopropyl-, 4-azidobutyl-, 2-azido-1-hydroxyethyl-, 3-azido-2-hydroxypropyl- and 3-azido-1-hydroxypropylphosphonates and selected alkynes under microwave irradiation. Several O,O-diethylphosphonate acyclonucleotides were transformed into the respective phosphonic acids. All compounds were evaluated in vitro for activity against a broad variety of DNA and RNA viruses and cytostatic activity against murine leukaemia L1210, human T-lymphocyte CEM and human cervix carcinoma HeLa cells. Acyclonucleotide 22e exhibited activity against both herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2) in HEL cell cultures (EC₅₀ = 17 μM) and feline herpes virus (EC₅₀ = 24 μM) in CRFK cell cultures, while compounds 20k, 21k, 22k and 23k preferentially inhibited proliferation of human T-lymphocyte CEM cells at IC₅₀ in the 2.8–12 μM range.

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Nucleotide analogues with aliphatic linker between phosphorus and 1,2,3-triazole.

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Efficient synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole analogues of nucleotides.

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Antiviral activity and inhibitory effect on the proliferation of CEM cells.

Correlation of hydrogen-bonding propensity and anticancer profile of tetrazole-tethered combretastatin analogues

A series of 1,5-disubstituted tetrazole-tethered combretastatin analogues with extended hydrogen-bond donors at the ortho-positions of the aryl A and B rings were developed and evaluated for their antitubulin and antiproliferative activity. We wanted to test whether intramolecular hydrogen-bonding used as a conformational locking element in these analogues would improve their activity. The correlation of crystal structures with the antitubulin and antiproliferative profiles of the modified analogues suggested that hydrogen-bond-mediated conformational control of the A ring is deleterious to the bioactivity. In contrast, although there was no clear evidence that intramolecular hydrogen bonding to the B ring enhanced activity, we found that increased substitution on the B ring had a positive effect on antitubulin and antiproliferative activity. Among the various analogues synthesized, compounds 5d and 5e, having hydrogen-bonding donor groups at the ortho and meta-positions on the 4-methoxy phenyl B ring, are strong inhibitors of tubulin polymerization and antiproliferative agents having IC50 value in micromolar concentrations.

Tubulin-interactive stilbene derivatives as anticancer agents

Microtubules are dynamic polymers that occur in eukaryotic cells and play important roles in cell division, motility, transport and signaling. They form during the process of polymerization of α- and β-tubulin dimers. Tubulin is a significant and heavily researched molecular target for anticancer drugs. Combretastatins are natural cis-stilbenes that exhibit cytotoxic properties in cultured cancer cells in vitro. Combretastatin A-4 (3′-hydroxy-3,4,4′, 5-tetramethoxy-cis-stilbene; CA-4) is a potent cytotoxic cis-stilbene that binds to β-tubulin at the colchicine-binding site and inhibits tubulin polymerization. The prodrug CA-4 phosphate is currently in clinical trials as a chemotherapeutic agent for cancer treatment. Numerous series of stilbene analogs have been studied in search of potent cytotoxic agents with the requisite tubulin-interactive properties. Microtubule-interfering agents include numerous CA-4 and transresveratrol analogs and other synthetic stilbene derivatives. Importantly, these agents are active in both tumor cells and immature endothelial cells of tumor blood vessels, where they inhibit the process of angiogenesis. Recently, computer-aided virtual screening was used to select potent tubulin-interactive compounds. This review covers the role of stilbene derivatives as a class of antitumor agents that act by targeting microtubule assembly dynamics. Additionally, we present the results of molecular modeling of their binding to specific sites on the α- and β-tubulin heterodimer. This has enabled the elucidation of the mechanism of stilbene cytotoxicity and is useful in the design of novel agents with improved anti-mitotic activity. Tubulin-interactive agents are believed to have the potential to play a significant role in the fight against cancer.

An overview of tubulin inhibitors that interact with the colchicine binding site

Tubulin dynamics is a promising target for new chemotherapeutic agents. The colchicine binding site is one of the most important pockets for potential tubulin polymerization destabilizers. Colchicine binding site inhibitors (CBSI) exert their biological effects by inhibiting tubulin assembly and suppressing microtubule formation. A large number of molecules interacting with the colchicine binding site have been designed and synthesized with significant structural diversity. CBSIs have been modified as to chemical structure as well as pharmacokinetic properties, and tested in order to find a highly potent, low toxicity agent for treatment of cancers. CBSIs are believed to act by a common mechanism via binding to the colchicine site on tubulin. The present review is a synopsis of compounds that have been reported in the past decade that have provided an increase in our understanding of the actions of CBSIs.

In vitro and in vivo biological evaluation of new 4,5-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles as cis-constrained analogs of combretastatin A4

To find new and better antivascular agents for cancer therapy, a series of combretastatin A4 (CA4) analogs were prepared from 1,3-diaryl-2-nitroprop-1-enes (6-12) obtained in a two-step synthesis from appropriate arylaldehydes and 2-aryl-1-nitroethanes (4 or 5). Treatment of these 1,3-diaryl-2-nitroprop-1-enes 6-12 by sodium azide in DMSO yielded the targeted compounds. The synthesized 1,2,3-triazoles disubstituted in 4- and 5-positions by one benzyl group and one aryl nucleus have also been tested for biological activities involved in antivascular action. It was found that several new compounds exhibited interesting biological activities in the nanomolar or low micromolar range, in terms of rounding up of endothelial cells, inhibition of tubulin polymerization, and cytotoxicity on B16 melanoma cancer cells. In silico docking studies of 11 and 19 within the active site of tubulin were also carried out in order to rationalize the inhibitory properties of these compounds and further understand their inhibition mechanism. In vivo evaluation of compounds 11 and 19 in mice bearing colon 26 carcinoma indicated modest anticancer activity.