Synthesis, thiol-mediated reactive oxygen species generation profiles and anti-proliferative activities of 2,3-epoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones

Abstract

Here, we report that thiol-mediated decomposition of 2,3-epoxy-1,4-naphthoquinones to generate peroxide, a reactive oxygen species (ROS), could be modulated by changing the substitution pattern on the aryl ring and the epoxide. Epoxides which generated higher amounts of peroxide upon reaction with thiols were better inhibitors of human leukaemia (THP1) cell proliferation.