The marine natural product hapalosin and 22 analogs, which incorporated sys
tematic substituent deletions or variations, were prepared. These compounds
were evaluated in a cell-based assay for both MDR-reversing activity and g
eneral cytotoxicity. Some substituent modifications resulted in lower cytot
oxicities, but most structural changes were either detrimental to or did no
t seriously alter the MDR-reversing activity. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd
. All rights reserved.