Antioxidant Activity of New Sulphur‐ and Selenium‐Containing Analogues of Potassium Phenosan against H2O2‐Induced Cytotoxicity in Tumour Cells

Abstract

Among known phenolic antioxidants, the overwhelming majority of compounds have lipophilic properties and the number of known water‐soluble compounds is very small. The list of hydrophilic phenolic antioxidants can be expanded via the synthesis of a structurally related series of polyfunctional compounds for further research on their biological activity in vitro. New sulphur-and selenium‐containing analogues of antioxidant potassium phenosan were synthesised. In vitro cytotoxicity and cytostaticity as well as antioxidant activity against H2O2‐induced cytotoxicity to human cell lines (HepG2, Hep‐2 and MCF‐7) were investigated by high‐content analysis. A sele-nium‐containing analogue showed higher biological activity than did a sulphur‐containing one. As compared to the activity of potassium phenosan, the selenium‐containing analogue had a cell line‐dependent antioxidant effect against H2O2‐induced cytotoxicity: comparable in HepG2 cells and greater in Hep‐2 cells. The selenium‐containing analogue significantly increased the death of MCF‐7 cells at concentrations above 50 μM. The sulphur‐containing analogue has lower biological activity as compared to potassium phenosan and the selenium‐containing analogue.