Cytotoxic activity of proflavine diureas: Synthesis, antitumor, evaluation and DNA binding properties of 1′,1″-(acridin-3,6-diyl)-3′,3″-dialkyldiureas Original Research Article

The synthesis of novel 1′,1″-(acridin-3,6-diyl)-3′,3″-dialkyldiureas was reported. Their biological activity to inhibit cell proliferation was assessed by a MTT assay on two cell lines, HeLa and HCT-116, at micromolar concentration. 1′,1″-(Acridin-3,6-diyl)-3′,3″-dihexyldiurea hydrochloride was active on a HCT-116 cell line with an IC50 value of 3.1 μM. The interaction of these compounds with calf thymus DNA was investigated by a variety of spectroscopic techniques including UV–vis, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. From spectrofluorimetric titrations, binding constants for the DNA–drug complexes were determined (K = 0.9–4.2 × 105 M−1). Antiproliferative activity of synthesized derivatives might be related to their intercalation into DNA.