Anti-proliferation effects of benzimidazole derivatives on HCT-116 colon cancer and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines.

Benzimidazoles 1-4 were obtained using modified synthesis methods and studied for their ability to inhibit cell proliferation of colon cancer cell HCT-116 and breast cancer cell MCF-7 using MTT assays. In the HCT-116 cell line, benzimidazole 2 was found to have an IC50 value of 16.2 ± 3.85 μg/mL and benzimidazole 1 a value of 28.5 ± 2.91 μg/mL, while that for benzimidazole 4 was 24.08 ± 0.31 μg/mL. In the MCF-7 cell line, benzimidazole 4 had an IC50 value of 8.86 ± 1.10 μg/mL, benzimidazole 2 a value of 30.29 ± 6.39 μg/mL, and benzimidazole 1 a value of 31.2 ± 4.49 μg/mL. Benzimidazole 3 exerted no cytotoxicity in either of the cell lines, with IC50 values >50 μg/mL. The results suggest that benzimidazoles derivatives may have chemotherapeutic potential for treatment of both colon and breast cancers.