Biological Evaluation of Noscapine analogues as Potent and Microtubule-Targeted Anticancer Agents

In present investigation, an attempt was undertaken to modify the C-9 position of noscapine (Nos), an opium alkaloid to yield 9 -hydroxy methyl and 9 -carbaldehyde oxime analogues for augmenting anticancer potential. The synthesis of 9-hydroxy methyl analogue of Nos was carried out by Blanc reaction and 9-carbaldehyde oxime was engineered by oxime formation method and characterized using FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectroscopy, and so on techniques. In silico docking techniques informed that 9-hydroxy methyl and 9-carbaldehyde oxime analogues of Nos had higher binding energy score as compared to Nos. The IC50 of Nos was estimated to be 46.8 µM signficantly (P < 0.05) higher than 8.2 µM of 9-carbaldehyde oxime and 4.6 µM of 9-hydroxy methyl analogue of Nos in U87, human glioblastoma cells. Moreover, there was significant (P < 0.05) difference between the IC50 of 9-carbaldehyde oxime and 9-hydroxy methyl analogue of Nos. Consistent to in vitro cytotoxicity data, 9-hydroxy methyl analogue of Nos induced significantly (P < 0.05) higher degree of apoptosis of 84.6% in U87 cells as compared to 78.5% and 64.3% demonstrated by 9-carbaldehyde oxime and Nos, respectively. Thus the higher therapeutic efficacy of 9-hydroxy methyl analogue of Nos may be credited to higher solubility and inhibitory constant (K).