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The present dissertation presents the results obtained from the study of a collection of
structurally related ferulic acid derivatives and their antitumor evaluation. Cancer is one
of the leading causes of death worldwide. Currently, 8.2 million people die each year
from cancer in the world. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO),
it is estimated that in the year 2030, the number will be 21.4 million new cases of cancer
and 13.2 million deaths from cancer. Amides derived from ferulic acid have a broad
spectrum of pharmacological activities, among them, antitumor activity. The aim of this
work is to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of ten amides derived from ferulic acid on four
different cell types, HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), HCT116 (human colon
carcinoma), HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia), and MRC5 (human lung
fibroblast) obtained from ATCC. These amides were prepared by coupling reactions
using two types of coupling agents: benzotriazol-1-yloxy-tris- (dimethylamino)-
phosphonium bromide (BOP); And dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) together with 4-
dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). In the characterization of the products were used
infrared spectroscopic methods, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic ressonance, as well as high
resolution mass spectrometry for the unpublished derivatives. All the amides were
submitted to antitumor tests by the alamar blue method, with Doxorubicin as the positive
control. Ten amides of ferulic acid were obtained, with yields ranging from 43,17-
91,38%, two of which were unpublished in the literature. Eight amides showed antitumor
activity, however, three presented cytotoxicity to normal cells. Thus, amides MA3, MA4,
MA9 and MA10 demonstrated the best activity because they showed selectivity for the
HL60 cell type (promyelocytic leukocyte cells), with emphasis on MA9 that showed the
lowest IC50 (mean inhibitory concentration). These results show compounds in which
the nitrogen was as a binder of a closed chain, obtained cytotoxic activity in one or more
cell types and that the substituent with two methoxyls in the meta and para position of the
benzyl ring had its activity potentiated, besides selectivity to a tumor cell type.
Keywords: Amides, ferulic acid, cytotoxic, antitumor.