Synthesis and evaluation of N-alkanoyl-S-benzyl-L-cysteinylglutamic acid esters as glyoxalase I inhibitors and anticancer agents.

Esters of several glutathione analogues have been synthesized in which the glycine moiety was replaced by straight-chain fatty acids and the mercapto group was benzylated . Two of the derivatives (sufficiently water-soluble for the assay) were found to inhibit glyoxalase I to a greater extent than did S-methylglutathione. The two glyoxalase I inhibitors did not inhibit P388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice, however.