Rj. Anto et al., ANTITUMOR AND FREE-RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF SYNTHETIC CURCUMINOIDS, International journal of pharmaceutics, 131(1), 1996, pp. 1-7
Eight synthetic curcuminoids were investigated for their cytotoxic and
tumoricidal activities as well as for their free radical scavenging a
ctivity. All the curcuminoids were found to be cytotoxic to cultured L
929 cells; concentration needed for 50% inhibition being around 1 mu g
/ml (3.9-2.5 mu M). As antitumour agents, veratryl curcuminoid and sal
icyl curcuminoid increased the life span of animals by 100.6 and 86.9%
, respectively. All the curcuminoids inhibited in vitro lipid peroxida
tion and scavenged superoxides and hydroxyl radicals. Curcuminoids wit
h a free hydroxyl group on the phenyl ring, such as salicyl curcuminoi
d, were found to be most active. Compounds which did not have free hyd
roxyl group such as veratryl curcuminoid, had lower activity in vitro
but showed comparable activity in vivo. The results indicated that syn
thetic curcuminoids, like natural curcumin are potent antioxidants.