title: In Vitro Antiplasmodial Activity and Cytotoxic Effect of (Z)-2-Benzylidene-4, 6-Dimethoxybenzofuran-3(2H)-One Derivatives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aurones are naturally occurring compounds that belong to flavenoids family and have antiplasmodial effects. This study investigated some new aurones derivatives against chloroquine sensitivePlasmodium falciparum.Here we report the synthesis, in vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxic evaluation of 11 compound from derivatives of (Z)-2- benzylidene-4, 6-dimethoxybenzofuran-3(2H)-one.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cytotoxic evaluations of active compounds were performed with MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on human breast cancer cell lines; MCF7 and T47D.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 11 compounds M3, M6 and M7 compounds showed good anti-plasmodial effect against chloroquine-sensitive 3D strain ofP. falciparumwith IC50(50% inhibitory concentration) values of 7.82, 7.27 and 2.3 μM respectively. No noticeable toxicity was observed with these compounds when tested against tested cell lines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The replacement of the 4 and 5 positions at ring B of aurone derivatives, with propoxy and bromide (Br) respectively was revealed highly advantageous for their antiplasmodial effect.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramazani
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamidnezhad
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foroumadi
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Abbas
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
authors.affiliation: Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, Zanjan, Iran.
authors.forename: Somayyeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maddahi
authors.affiliation: BCG Vaccine Unit, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Mehdi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
keywords: Aurones; Cytotoxicity; Plasmodium falciparum