Synthesis of 1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives of Hydnocarpic Acid Isolated from Carpotroche brasiliensis Seed Oil and Evaluation of Antiproliferative Activity

Carpotroche brasiliensis is a tree native to Brazil, belonging to the family Flacurtiaceae, whose seeds contain a group of cyclopentenyl fatty acids: gorlic (12%), chaulmugric (27%), and hydnocarpic (48.7%). These compounds are considered the main therapeutic agents in the treatment of leprosy. In the present study, a series of novel triazole compounds were obtained by conjugation between hydnocarpic acid and functionalized azides via copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC). Hydnocarpic acid and its derivatives were tested against estrogen-positive breast carcinoma (MCF-7), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), and non-small cell lung cancer (A549) cell lines. The (R)-(1-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl-11-(cyclopent-2-en-1-yl)undecanoate (8) displayed promising antiproliferative activity against A549 cells. We demonstrated that this compound selectively inhibited the viability of A549 cell cultures. Furthermore, compound 8 inhibited the clonogenic capacity of A549 cells, and this effect was associated to its ability to inhibit cell cycle progression at G1 phase. These findings indicate that 8 is a promising antitumor agent on A549 cells and support further studies to evaluate the molecular mechanisms underlying its antiproliferative activity. In addition, hydnocarpic acid should be considered as a promising chemical prototype to obtain novel antineoplastic agents.