New 7,8-benzoflavanones as potent aromatase inhibitors: Synthesis and biological evaluation

Some natural compounds such as flavonoids are known to possess a moderate inhibitory activity against aromatase, this enzyme being an interesting target for hormone-dependent breast cancer treatment. It has been demonstrated that the modulation of flavonoid skeleton could increase anti-aromatase effect. Therefore, new 7,8-benzoflavanones were synthesized and tested for their activity toward aromatase inhibition. It was observed that the introduction of a benzo ring at position C-7 and C-8 on flavanone skeleton led to new potent aromatase inhibitors, the resulting 7,8-benzoflavanones being until nine times more potent than aminogluthetimide (the first aromatase inhibitor used clinically).

Flavonoids are known to possess a moderate inhibitory activity against aromatase, this enzyme being an interesting target for hormone-dependent breast cancer treatment. In this paper, new 7,8-benzoflavanones were synthesized and tested for their activity toward aromatase inhibition. 7,8-Benzoflavanones were found to exhibit high inhibitory potency against aromatase.