Antitumorigenic Activities of Chalcones. I. Inhibitory Effects of Chalcone Derivatives on 32Pi-Incorporation into Phospholipids of HeLa Cells Promoted by 12-O-Tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-Acetate (TPA)

More than forty chalcone derivatives were synthesized to examine their structure-activity relationship against tumorigenesis. As a primary screening test, the inhibitory activities of the chalcones for the 32Pi-incorporation into phospholipids of HeLa cells enhanced by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) were examined. 3-Hydroxy-chalcone derivatives possessing methyl group in 3'-, 4'-, or 2'-position and isoliquiritigenin homologs showed potent inhibitory activities in the phosphorylation test, which suggests their antitumorigenic effects.