Antiproliferative activity of various flavonoids and related compounds: additive effect of interferon-alpha2b.

The antiproliferative activity of several natural and synthetic flavonoids and some related compounds was evaluated in vitro against a cell line derived from a human cervical carcinoma (WISH cells). According to their activities, the most potent derivatives were 2'-nitroflavone (14), 2',6-dinitroflavone (15) and the n-buthyl ester of caffeic acid (29). When these compounds were tested in the presence of recombinant human interferon-alpha2b (rhIFN-alpha2b), a cytokine exhibiting an antimitogenic action on WISH cells, an additive effect on cell growth inhibition was observed. Time course studies of the antiproliferative action exerted by the active derivatives or the rhIFN-alpha2b suggested that these compounds induced cell death.