Novel Tricyclic Compounds Having Acetylene Groups at C-8a and Cyano Enones in Rings A and C: Highly Potent Anti-inflammatory and Cytoprotective Agents

Abstract

Novel C-8a functionalized tricyclic compounds having cyano enones in rings A and C have been synthesized and biologically evaluated. Among them, compounds with acetylene groups at C-8a show extremely high potency in in vitro and in vivo bioassays for anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activities. Both in vitro and in vivo potencies are markedly higher than those of 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO), which is being evaluated as an anticancer drug in phase I clinical trials.