Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters

Synthesis of betulinic acid derivatives with activity against human melanoma

DSHL Kim, JM Pezzuto, E Pisha

Index: Kim, Darrick S. H. L.; Pezzuto, John M.; Pisha, Emily Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 1998 , vol. 8, # 13 p. 1707 - 1712

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Citation Number: 166

Abstract

Betulinic acid has been modified at C-3, C-20, and C-28 positions and the toxicity of the derivatives has been evaluated against cultured human melanoma (MEL-2) and human epidermoid carcinoma of the mouth (KB) cell lines. This preliminary investigation demonstrates that simple modifications of the parent structure of betulinic acid can produce potentially important derivatives, which may be developed as antitumor drugs.