Synthesis and in vitro antitumour activities of lupeol derivatives.

Nine lupeol derivatives were synthesised and assayed in vitro for their antitumour activities against three human tumour cells lines, A549, LAC and HepG2. Of lupeol derivaties, six were new compounds, and five compounds against A549 cells, four compounds against HepG2 cells and three compounds against LAC cells were effective in reducing viability, and the most promising compounds 5, 6 and 9 exhibited high activities against lung and liver cancer cells, even higher activities than those of adriamycin.