Antitumour activities of some schiff bases derived from benzoin, salicylaldehyde, amino phenol and 2,4 dinitrophenyl hydrazine

Abstract

Three schiff bases PDH [N-(1-phenyl-2-hydroxy-2phenyl ethyledine)-2′ 4 ′ dinitrophenyl hydrazine], PHP [N-(1-phenyl, 2-hydroxy-2-phenyl ethylidine)-2′ hydroxy phenyl imine] and HHP [N-(2-hydroxy benzylidine)-2′ hydroxy phenyl imine] have been studied against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in Swiss albino mice. These compounds enhanced life span, reduced average tumour weight and inhibited tumour cell growth of EAC cell-bearing mice. They also restored the depleted haematological parameters like haemoglobin content, red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC) counts towards normal. All these data have been compared by running parallel experiments with a standard anticancer drug, bleomycin. The macrophages which have some protecting action against EAC cells are found to be developed in mice when treated with the compounds alone. The compounds can therefore be considered as potent antitumour agents.