title: Cytotoxicity and radical intensity of eugenol, isoeugenol or related dimers.
abstract: To investigate the possible link between radicals and cytotoxicity of eugenol-related compounds, dimer compounds were synthesized from eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) or isoeugenol (4-propenyl-2-methoxyphenol): bis-eugenol (3,3'-dimethoxy-5,5'-di-2-propenyl-1,1'-biphenyl-2,2'-diol); dehydrodiisoeugenol (2-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-methyl-5-(1-propenyl)-7-methoxy-2,3- dihydrobenzofuran) and alpha-di-isoeugenol (r-l-ethyl-5-hydroxy-t-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-6-methoxy-c-2- methylindane). Both the cytotoxic activity and the DNA synthesis inhibitory activity of these compounds against a salivary gland tumor cell line (HSG) and normal human gingival fibroblast (HGF) were decreased in the order of: dehydrodiisoeugenol, alpha-di-isoeugenol > isoeugenol > eugenol > bis-eugenol. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy showed that dehydrodiisoeugenol, alpha-di-isoeugenol and eugenol, but not isoeugenol and bis-eugenol, produced phenoxyl radicals under alkaline condition (pH > 9.5). However, benzyl radicals were produced during the dimerization of isoeugenol to dehydrodiisoeugenol. The radical intensity of alpha-di- and dehydrodiisoeugenol appeared at relatively later incubation time than eugenol, suggesting that their phenoxyl radical was more stable than that of eugenol. Such a phenoxyl radical is produced by scavenging free radicals, during the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Higher cytotoxic activity of isoeugenol dimers was thought to be induced by interaction with cell membranes via the lipophilic radical. The present study supports the notion that relative cytotoxicity of chemicals can be evaluated by measuring the radical intensity using ESR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Physiology, Meikai University School of Dentistry, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Atsumi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakagami
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iwakura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueha
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yokoe
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005054:Eugenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005609:Free Radicals; D005054:Eugenol; C036643:isoeugenol; D004247:DNA