Patents

Phenylbutyl isothiocyanate (PBITC) is an inhibitor of chemically-induced lung carcinogenesis¹. n-Butyl thiophene (BT) inhibits colon carcinogenesis². LKT Laboratories has designed thienylbutyl isothiocyanate (TBITC) to incorporate the active functional groups of isothiocyanate in PBITC and thiophene in BT to achieve the inhibitory activities of both compounds³. We refer to such compounds as “bifunctional inhibitors”, where the term “bifunctional” refers to the the two biologically active functional groups present in the compound.

The activity of TBITC has been confirmed by three prescreening assays: the induction of glutathione-S-transferase, the inhibition of lung methylation, and reduction of colon aberrant crypts formation³. Bioassays with lung and colon tumor models indicate that TBITC is an effective cancer chemopreventive agent in both target tissues. Structure activity relationship studies of phenyl-alkyl isothiocyanates have shown that there is a preference for longer alkyl chain lengths in the prevention of 4- (methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-induced lung tumors, with a six carbon chain being the most effective⁴. Against esophageal tumors induced by Nitrosomethylamylamine (NMAA), an ethyl group is the most effective⁵. Benzyl isothiocyanate, but not phenylethyl isothiocyanate, inhibits benzo[a]pyrene-induced lung tumors⁶. To promote similar SAR studies with thienyl alkyl isothiocyanates, LKT Laboratories offers the full series from thienylmethyl isothiocyanate (n = 1) to thienyl decyl isothiocyanate (n = 10), plus thienyl dodecyl isothiocyanate (n = 12). This series of bifunctional inhibitors of chemical carcinogenesis represents a new and novel class of chemopreventive agents.

 

See all of our Isothiocyanates and their conjugates