Cytotoxic activities of several geranyl-substituted flavanones.

Nine geranylated flavanones isolated from the fruits of Paulownia tomentosa (4-12) and two from the roots of Morus alba (13 and 14) were examined for cytotoxicity to selected human cancer cell lines and normal human fibroblasts. Cytotoxicity was determined in vitro using a calcein AM cytotoxicity assay. Cytotoxicity for the THP-1 monocytic leukemia cell line was tested using erythrosin B cell staining. The geranylated compounds tested were compared with the known simple flavanone standards taxifolin (1), naringenin (2), and hesperetin (3) and with the standard anticancer drugs olomoucine II, diaziquone, and oxaliplatin and the antineoplastic compound camptothecin, and showed different levels of cytotoxicity. The effects of structural changes on cytotoxic activity, including geranyl substitution of the flavanone skeleton and the oxidation pattern of ring B of the flavanones, are discussed.