bis-Mannich bases of styryl ketones as antileukemic agents

A novel series of bis-Mannich bases have been synthesized and evaluated against P388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice. Two compounds showed a perceptible beneficial response in this screen and all the compounds displayed marked murine toxicity. A representative compound inhibited respiration in mitochondria isolated from rat and mouse liver cells by 90% approximately at a dose of 2.5 mumol and it caused a small elevation in mouse liver glutathione equivalent concentrations at 5 mg/kg.