Induction of apoptosis by β-diketones in human tumor cells

A variety of ‚-diketones were evaluated for their cytotoxic profiles against oral human normal and tumor cells. Among 22 compounds (BD1-22) tested, the cytotoxicity of 3- formylchromone (BD17)(CC50=7.8 Ig/mL) against human oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC-2) cells was higher than that of curcumin (CC50=23.6 Ig/mL). Tumor cell-specific cytotoxicity was also detected in BD17 which exhibited little cytotoxic activity against a normal human cell, gingival fibroblast (HGF). (-)-3- (BD13) (CC50=21.7 Ig/mL) and (+)-3- (Trifluoroacetyl)camphor (BD12) (CC50=29.7 Ig/mL) are enantiomers and showed cytotoxicity comparable to curcumin and dibenzoylmethane (BD2)(CC50=22.5 Ig/mL). BD13 did not induce DNA fragmentation in HL-60 cells nor activate