Immunomodulatory quinazoline-based thalidomide analogs: Design, synthesis, apoptosis and anticancer evaluations

•Twelve thalidomide analogs based on quinazolinone and containing glutarimide rings were designed and synthesized.•In vitro cytotoxic activities were evaluated against four human cell lines MCF-7, HCT-116, HepG-2 and PC3.•In vitro immunomodulatory assay of TNF-α and IL-6, effects on human caspase 3 levels, COX-I and COX-II inhibition testing were carried out for 6d, 6e and 6l.•The most promising candidate, 6d, was examined for its cell cycle effect and apoptosis assay in comparison to thalidomide on the most sensitive cell line, MCF-7.