Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel curcumin analog as potential anti-lung cancer agent.

Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound derived from the plant turmeric and the structural instability of which limits its further clinical applications. In this study, 11 curcumin analogs with more stable scaffold were prepared and evaluated. The results indicated that the optimal compound exhibited the strongest antiproliferative activities against lung cancer cells including H460 and H1650. Further studies showed that potentially inhibited hDHODH, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis as well as down-regulated crucial signal pathway protein expression in H1650 cells. In the conclusion, the newly designed curcumin analog may be suitable for further development in lung cancer treatment.