Anti-tumor and Antimicrobial Activities of beta-Carbolines

A series of beta-carbolines possessing different substituents at C1, C3 and N9 positions derived from L-tryptophan was used in anti-tumour and antimicrobial activity study. Compound 3b exhibited anti-tumour activity against tumour cell line A459 with a IC50 value of 3.17 mu mol/L in vitro by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) assay while the positive control group(cis-platin, DDP) was 1.45 mu mol/L. Other eleven compounds showed relatively weak activities against the five cell-lines. Compound 5h exhibited activitiy against vibrio anguillarum with a MIC value of 0.78 mu mol/L while the positive control group(ciprofloxacin) was 1.25 mu mol/L. Other fourteen compounds showed relatively weak activities against five spices of bacteria. By the study of structural-activity relationship, optimizing structures is possible and necessary in the future to screen potential compounds for medicinal study.