Therapeutic uses of curcumin analogs for treatment of prostate cancer

摘要

This invention relates generally to methods of treating aggressive cancers, such as hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer, by exposing the aggressive cancer cells to curcumin analogs having the claimed structural scaffolds and side groups. The anticancer effects of curcumin are associated with its influence on numerous growth factors within the cells. However, its clinical development has been limited by its suboptimal pharmacokinetics and poor bioavailability caused by poor solubility in water and rapid in vivo metabolism. There is the need to develop new and improved curcumin analogs with better potency, water solubility, and in vivo metabolic stability, as well as retained safety profiles. Curcumin analogs having one of the claimed four novel scaffolds with basic heteroaromatic side groups show the ability to decrease aggressive cancer cell viability and to inhibit aggressive cancer cell growth.