Synthesis and Antitumour Activity of New Derivatives of Flavone-8-acetic Acid (FAA). Part 1: 6-Methyl Derivatives

A range of 17 derivatives of flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA) with a 6-methyl substituent have been prepared and their anti-tumour activity evaluated in vitro against a panel of human and murine tumour cell lines and in vivo against MAC 15A. While many of the compounds show activity comparable to FAA in vitro, this essentially disappears in vivo, possibly due to degradation before the compounds can reach the tumour site.