Protoflavone - spirooxindole hybrids exhibit promising, increased antitumor activity

Protoflavones are rare natural flavonoids with a non-aromatic B ring, typically found in fern species. Several of these compounds show promising antitumor effects in vitro on various cell lines and in vivo. These protoflavones induce apoptosis and are capable to inhibit the ATR-mediated activation of checkpoint kinase 1, a crucial step in DNA damage response [1].