Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of N-(4-(2-(6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)ethyl)phenyl)-4-oxo-3,4-dihydrophthalazine-1-carboxamide derivatives as novel P-glycoprotein inhibitors reversing multidrug resistance

The overexpression of P-glycoprotein plays an important role in the process of multidrug resistance (MDR). P-gp inhibitors are one of the effective strategies to reverse tumor MDR. Novel P-gp inhibitors with phthalazinone scaffolds were designed, synthesized and evaluated. Compound 26 was found to be the most promising for further study. Compound 26 possessed high potency (EC50= 46.2 +/- 3.5 nM) and low cytotoxicity. 26 possessed high MDR reversal activity towards doxorubicin-resistant K56/A02 cells. Reversal fold (RF) value reach to 44.26. 26 also increased accumulation of doxorubicin (DOX or ADM) or other MDR-related anticancer drugs with different structures. In conclusion, compound 26 deserves more research for its good features as P-gp inhibitor.