Phenacyl group containing amide derivative of dehydroabietylamine exhibiting enhanced cytotoxic activity against PLC and MCF7 cancer cell lines

New amide derivatives of (+)-dehydroabietylamine, tricyclic abietane diterpene amine, were prepared using Zhongping’s protocol. (+)-N-(2-phenyl-acetyl)-dehydroabietylamine derivative (11) demonstrated noticeable growth attenuation of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines including PLC/PRF/5, SNU475, Hep3B-TR, and Huh7 with IC50 of 7.4 µM, 9.8 µM, 11.7 µM, and 11.8 µM, respectively. A breast cancer cell line MCF7 was the most sensitive against amide 11 with lowest IC50 value (4.8 µM). Low cell confluence and increase in G2/M phase was recorded after 48 and 72 h of treatment of amide 11 on PLC/PRF/5 cell line. Finally, amide 11 has comparatively sufficient therapeutic role due to addition of N-phenacyl group at C-18. Amide 11 demonstrated as potential candidate for future cancer interference and research.