1,3-bis-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,3-epoxypropanone

**1,3-bis-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,3-epoxypropanone** is a synthetic small molecule belonging to the class of chalcone epoxides. It exhibits significant cytotoxic activity against various human cancer cell lines, with an average GI50 (growth inhibition by 50%) of 14.1 µM across the NCI 60-cell-line panel. The compound induces cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and promotes apoptosis in cancer cells, demonstrated by marked effects in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Mechanistically, it disrupts microtubule dynamics by interfering with tubulin polymerization, likely through alkylation of β-tubulin at cysteine 354 following epoxide ring opening. Covalent modification of proteins via reaction with nucleophilic thiols is a central feature of its action. The compound has not reached development as a marketed drug and remains a research chemical with demonstrated anticancer activity in preclinical models[1][2][3][5].

Other names

1,3-bis(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2,3-epoxypropanonecompound 4acompound4acompound-4achalcone epoxide