Novel cyclic C-curcuminoids penetrating the blood-brain barrier: Design, synthesis and antiproliferative activity against astrocytoma and neuroblastoma cells.

Novel series of cyclic C-curcuminoids 17a-j and 19-22 were prepared as cytotoxic agents and evaluated against human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) or human grade IV astrocytoma (CCF-STTG1) cell lines in low (∼0.1 nM - 10 nM) concentrations. Among the tested 21 derivatives, 16 displayed potent antiproliferative activity with IC values in the low nanomolar to picomolar range (IC = 7.