Novel N-4-piperazinyl-ciprofloxacin-chalcone hybrids: synthesis, physicochemical properties, anticancer and topoisomerase I and II inhibitory activity.

A group of novel N-4-piperazinyl-ciprofloxacin-chalcone hybrids was prepared. One-dose anticancer test results indicated that compounds 3a and 3g exhibited the highest ability to inhibit the proliferation of different cancer cell lines. Compound 3a exhibited a broad-spectrum of anti-tumor activity without pronounced selectivity while compound 3g revealed high selectivity toward the leukemia subpanel with selectivity ratio of 6.71 at GI₅₀ level. Moreover, compounds 3e and 3j have shown remarkable topo II inhibitory activity compared to etoposide at 100 μM and 20 μM concentrations. Compounds 3e and 3j exhibited comparably potent topo I inhibitory activity at 20 μM concentration compared to camptothecin. Compounds 3e and 3j exhibited strong topo II inhibitory activities compared to topo I at 20 μM concentration. Studying of the solubility and partition coefficient revealed higher lipophilicity of the hybrids 3a-j compared to the parent ciprofloxacin.