Antitumor activity of tetrahydroisoquinoline analogues 3-epi-jorumycin and 3-epi-renieramycin G

Analogues of the tetrahydroisoquinoline family of antitumor antibiotics, 3-epi-jorumycin (3) and 3-epi-renieramycin G (4), in addition to their respective parent natural products (−)-jorumycin (1) and (−)-renieramycin G (2) were evaluated against both human colon (HCT-116) and human lung (A549) cancer cell lines. (−)-Jorumycin (1) displayed potent growth inhibition with GI50 values in the low nanomolar range (1.9–24.3 nM), while compounds 2–4 were found to be substantially less cytotoxic (GI50 0.6–14.0 μM).