Relationship between pi-electron distribution and anticancer activity of benzo[a]phenothiazines

Anticancer Res. 1992 Sep-Oct;12(5):1423-6.

Abstract

In order to study the correlation between the anti-tumor activity of benzo[a]phenothiazines and the electron densities, the Huckel orbital method and modified-neglect-of-diatomic overlap (MNDO) orbital method were used. 9-Methyl-12H-benzo[a]phenothiazine (2), which showed the most potent anticancer activity among benzo[a]phenothiazines, had the highest charge of nitrogen atom (QN), L-region (QL) and M-region (QM) in the molecule. The other derivatives, which showed weaker anticancer activity, had a much reduced value of these charges (QN, QL, QM). The data suggest that stability of pi-electron in 1 benzene ring and 1 naphthalene ring in the benzo[a]phenothiazine skeleton might be responsible for the induction of anticancer activity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phenothiazines / chemistry*
  • Phenothiazines / therapeutic use*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Phenothiazines