Synthetic cyclohexenyl chalcone natural products possess cytotoxic activities against prostate cancer cells and inhibit cysteine cathepsins in vitro

► Novel synthetic natural products inhibit prostate cancer cell growth. ► Synthetic cyclohexenyl chalcone natural products stimulate apoptosis. ► Synthetic cyclohexenyl chalcone natural products result in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. ► Synthetic cyclohexenyl chalcone natural products inhibit cysteine cathepsins in vitro. A number of cyclohexenyl chalcone Diels–Alder natural products possess promising biological properties including strong cytotoxicity in various human cancer cells. Herein, we show that natural products in this class including panduratin A and nicolaioidesin C inhibit cysteine cathepsins as indicated by protease profiling assays and cell-free cathepsin L enzyme assays. Owing to the critical roles of cathepsins in the biology of human tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis, these findings should pave the way for development of novel antitumor agents for use in clinical settings.