Synthesis, characterization and antitumor activity of novel glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives

Glycyrrhetinic acid is a secondary metabolite derived from the traditional Chinese herb licorice and has attracted considerable attention due to its diverse biological activities. In this study, using glycyrrhetinic acid as a lead compound, we designed and synthesized twenty-seven glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives, including eighteen new compounds, and evaluated their in vitro antitumor activities against A549, Hela, and MKN-74 cell lines. The results showed that compound GA-3b exhibited the most potent antitumor activity against A549 and Hela cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 4.66 ± 0.36 μM and 6.11 ± 0.76 μM, respectively; while compound GA-2c demonstrated the best antitumor activity against the MKN-74 cell line, with an IC₅₀ value of 9.33 ± 1.89 μM.