IJCEA 2025 Vol.16(1): 63-67
doi: 10.18178/ijcea.2025.16.1.841
Effect of Hydroxyl Group on the Anticancer Activity of Xanthone Derivatives against Breast Cancer Cells
Yehezkiel S. Kurniawan1, Eti N. Sholikhah2, Harno D. Pranowo1, and Jumina1,*
1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
2. Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Email: ehezkiel.steven.k@mail.ugm.ac.id (Y.S.K.); etinurweningsholikhah@ugm.ac.id (E.N.S.); harnodp@ugm.ac.id (H.D.P.); jumina@ugm.ac.id (J.)
*Corresponding author
Manuscript received January 18, 2025. accepted April 1, 2025; published June 13, 2025
Abstract—Currently, breast cancer ranks among the deadliest diseases in both developed and developing nations. Consequently, it is urgent to discover active anticancer medication. Xanthone and its derivatives have been studied as anticancer agents because of their simple synthesis, ease of structural modification, and remarkable anticancer efficacy. This study assessed the effect of the number and position of the hydroxyl group on the xanthone structures on the anticancer activity against human breast cancer cells (T47D). Six hydroxyxanthones were synthesized through a one-pot reaction between benzoic acid and phenolic derivatives. Compared to xanthone, only 3-hydroxyxanthone, 1,3-dihydroxyxanthone, 3,6-dihydroxyxanthone, and 1,3,6-trihydroxyxanthone exhibit stronger anticancer activity. This result highlighted the importance of a hydroxyl group at the 3-position. The order of the anticancer activity of tetrahydroxyxanthone < dihydroxyxanthone < trihydroxyxanthone < monohydroxyxanthone except for 1-hydroxyxanthone. Of six hydroxyxanthones studied, the 3-hydroxyxanthone emerged as the most potent anticancer compound, exhibiting a half-maximal Inhibitory Concentration (IC50) of 100.19 µM against the T47D cancer cell line. The hydroxyl group at the 3-position yielded stronger anticancer activity than the 1-position. On the other hand, monohydroxyxanthone had more potent anticancer activity than dihydroxyxanthone, trihydroxyxanthone, and tetrahydroxyxanthone. As the most potent anticancer agent, 3-hydroxyxanthone is non-toxic towards normal cell line (NIH3T3) with IC50 value and selectivity index of >1000 µg/mL and 51.27. These findings reveal an important knowledge on anticancer drug design and development based on xanthone derivatives.
Keywords—breast cancer, hydroxyl, synthesis, xanthone
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Cite: Yehezkiel S. Kurniawan, Eti N. Sholikhah, Harno D. Pranowo, and Jumina, "Effect of Hydroxyl Group on the Anticancer Activity of Xanthone Derivatives against Breast Cancer Cells," International Journal of Chemical Engineering and Applications vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 63-67, 2025.
