Cannabinoid Quinones-A Review and Novel Observations

A cannabinoid anticancer para-quinone, HU-331, which was synthesized by our group five decades ago, was shown to have very high efficacy against human cancer cell lines in-vitro and against in-vivo grafts of human tumors in nude mice. The main mechanism was topoisomerase II alpha catalytic inhibition. Later, several groups synthesized related compounds. In the present presentation, we review the publications on compounds synthesized on the basis of HU-331, summarize their published activities and mechanisms of action and report the synthesis and action of novel quinones, thus expanding the structure-activity relationship in these series.

Automated summary

The cannabinoid anticancer para-quinone HU-331, synthesized by the group fifty years ago, has shown high efficacy against human cancer cells mainly through topoisomerase II alpha catalytic inhibition. Researchers reviewed compounds synthesized based on HU-331, summarizing their activities and mechanisms, and reported the synthesis and action of novel quinones to further explore the structure-activity relationship in this series.