Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Mono-Carbonyl Analogues of Curcumin

Curcumin has been reported to possess multifunctional bioactivities with low toxicity. However, the clinical application of curcumin has been significantly limited by its instability and poor metabolic property. Up to now, multiple approaches are being sought to overcome these limitations to obtaining “super curcumin”, and many analogues of curcumin have been designed and synthesized. In all of those analogues, a series of mono-carbonyl curcumin analogues deleting the β-diketone draw our attention. Since the seven-carbon β-diketone linker in curcumin may be responsible for its instability, the series of mono-carbonyl curcumin analogues deleting the β-diketone may be potential prodrug with improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. This review just focuses on these more stable mono-carbonyl analogues of curcumin, and shows the new class of active structure by introducing the synthesis and anticancer activity of them.