Design, Synthesis, and Bioactivity Assessment of Novel 2‐Phenyl Indole Derivatives Incorporating 4‐Thiazolidinone‐5‐carboxylic Acid as Promising Anti‐cancer Agents

Abstract

AbstractWe conducted a study to create new chemical compounds using indole derivatives, specifically incorporating thiosemicarbazone (8 a–e) and 4‐thiozolidinone‐5‐carboxylic acid (9 a–e) structures. We then tested these compounds against various bacteria and cancer cells. In our antibacterial tests, the compounds showed moderate inhibitory effects on bacterial growth. However, when we examined their effects on cancer cells, we observed specific patterns of activity. Notably, compounds 9 c and 9 d were highly toxic to NCI‐H187 cancer cells, while compounds 8 c, 9 b, 9 c, 9 d, and 9 e exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against KB cancer cells. Compound 8 e displayed strong toxicity against MCF‐7 cancer cells. When we assessed the toxicity of these compounds on normal Vero cells, we found that compounds 8 e, 9 b, 9 c, 9 d, and 9 e were less toxic compared to ellipticine, a known anticancer drug. These results suggest that these newly synthesized compounds may have potential applications in cancer treatment, and further research is necessary to explore their therapeutic possibilities.