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The secondary hydroxy group at side chain of shikonin structure was selectively acylated with various haloacetic acids in presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and 4-dimethylamin opyridine to produce haloacetylshikonin derivatives. The cytotoxicity of monohaloacetylshikonin derivatives against L1210 cells increased in the following order; monochloroacetylshikonin (ED50, 0.142mcg/ml) > monobromoacetylshikonin (ED50. 0.158mcg/ml) > monoiodoacetylshikonin (ED50, 0.173mcg/ml). Introduction of larger halogen atoms decreased the cytotoxic activity, presumably due to steric hinderance. The cytotoxicity of chloroacetylshikonin derivatives was dependent on the number of chlorine atom, thus increasing in the following order; trichloroacetylshikonin (0.032mcg/ml) > dichloroacetylshikonin (0.059mcg/ml) > monochloroacetylshikonin (ED50, 0.142mcg/ml). Thus, the electron withdrawing effect seems to be important for the cytotoxicity of chloroacetylshikonin derivatives. Consistent with the above, dichloroacetylshikonin (T/C. 182%) and trifluoroacetylshikonin (195%) showed higher T/C values than monochloroacetyl-(T/C, 122%), monobromoacetyl-(T/C, 154%) and monoiodoacetylshikonin (T/C, 117%) derivatives. Haloacetylshikonin derivatives showing lower cytoxic activities against L1210 cells exhibited lower T/C values. It seems that there is a relationship between the cytoxicity of haloacetylshikonin and their antitumor activity.
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