Synthesis of panaxadiol thiadiazole derivatives and study on its potential cell cycle arrest

•A series of new panaxadiol thiadiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized.•Compound SP24 significantly inhibited the growth of various tumor cells.•Compound SP24 could block the cell cycle in G1/S-phase.•A docking study was performed on the known structures of CDK2 and CDK6.