Antitumor promoting activities of 3-O-acyl-(-)epigallocatechins

As an exploratory investigation of antitumor promoting compounds, 3-O-acyl- (-)-epigallocatechins possessing a straight-, branched-, phenyl-inserted- o r 1,4-phenylene-inserted-acyl chain of varying length from C-4 to C-18 were synthesized and evaluated their inhibitory effects against the activation of the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA). It was indicated that the epigallocatechin derivatives having the straight- or branchcd-acyl chain o f C-8 to C-11 carbon atoms achieve marked effects. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.