3'-Geranyl-mono-substituted chalcone Xanthoangelovl induces apoptosis in human leukemia K562 cells via activation of mitochondrial pathway.

3′-Geranyl-mono-substituted chalcone Xanthoangelol (1b), a chalcone derivative, was previously reported to show selective cytotoxicity against human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 3.98 μM. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of 1b in K562 cells.