Towards cytotoxic and selective derivatives of maslinic acid

Several novel esters and amides of maslinic acid were prepared. Their evaluation for cytotoxic activity with a panel of human cancer cell lines using a sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay revealed for some of them a noteworthy activity. The results from annexinV-FITC and caspase-assays as well as from DNA laddering experiments provided evidence for an apoptotic cell death. A diacetylated benzylamide (15) induced a G1/G0 arrest in tumor cells. It also displayed an extraordinary cytotoxicity against human ovarian cancer cells but a 300 times lower toxicity for non-malignant primary human fibroblasts.