Evaluation of nuclear-substituted styryl ketones and related compounds for antitumor and cytotoxic properties.

A number of nuclear-substituted styryl ketones, the related Mannich bases, and allyl alcohols were synthesized and evaluated for antitumor activity, principally in the L-1210 lymphoid leukemia and P-388 lymphocytic leukemia screening tests. The cytotoxicity of some of these compounds assessed in Eagle's 9KB carcinoma cell culture system was also recorded. Two of the Mannich bases showed promising levels of activity in the P-388 screening; of the results obtained to date, over one-third of the derivatives showed cytotoxicity at dose levels of 1-3 ppm. Other pharmacological results of these compounds are briefly reported.