Mitosenes of both the pyrrolo- and pyrido[1,2-a]indole type have been prepared via modification of these heterotricyclic compounds. Several mitosenes have been studied for their reactions with nucleophiles under reductive conditions. The results of these experiments show that the biological activity of mitosenes is based on the mechanism of bioreductive activation. When both leaving groups at C-1 and C-10 in the mitosene are the same, the nucleophile preferably adds to C-10 under reductive conditions. All mitosenes were studied for their biological activities in vitro against L1210, WiDr, and A204. On the basis of these results a selection of three mitosenes was made for a more detailed biological evaluation. Several tumor model systems were used, viz. P388, human tumor xenografts, MAC 13, and MAC 16. The results of these studies show that mitosenes have a more limited range of activities than mitomycin C. Surprisingly, the in vivo activities of mitosene diol 8b and mitosene diacetate 10b against the gastric human tumor xenograft GXF 97 were very high and comparable with that of mitomycin C.

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We have shown previously that the flavonoid quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) enhances the antiproliferative activity of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP) in vitro. In order to investigate whether this observation could be exploited in cancer treatment, we tested this drug combination in human tumor xenografts. The established human large-cell cancer of the lung (LXFL 529) was implanted s.c. into nude mice. Tumors were allowed to grow to a mean diameter of approximately 5 mm and the animals were subsequently treated intraperitoneally with quercetin, cis-DDP or a combination of both. Treatment was given 3 times at 3-day intervals. Twenty milligrams quercetin per kg body weight caused no inhibition in tumor growth compared to untreated controls; 3 mg cis-DDP per kg body weight with the same time schedule reduced tumor growth, compared to quercetin-treated and control animals. Concomitant treatment with 20 mg quercetin and 3 mg cis-DDP per kg body weight reduced tumor growth to a significantly greater degree than cis-DDP alone. Toxicity of this treatment was relatively low as determined by measurements of the body weight of the mice. A combination of 4 mg or 5 mg cis-DDP with 20 mg quercetin per kg body weight also reduced tumor growth compared to single cis-DDP treatment. The toxicity of treatment with these increased doses was high, as shown by the high lethality and the loss of body weight of surviving animals.

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