A new class of simple synthetic antimitotic compounds based on 2-aroylindoles was discovered.(5-Methoxy-1 H-2-indolyl)-phenylmethanone (1) as well as analogous 3- fluorophenyl-(36) and 3-methoxyphenyl (3) derivatives displayed high cytotoxicity of IC50= 20 to 75 nM against the human HeLa/KB cervical, SK-OV-3 ovarian, and U373 astrocytoma carcinoma cell lines. The inhibition of proliferation correlated with the arrest in the G2/M ...