Synthesis, Characterization, and Investigation of Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Activities of Novel Thiourea Derivatives of Naproxen

The objective of this study was to synthesize seven novel thiourea derivatives of naproxen (<b>8</b>–<b>14</b>), examine the anti-inflammatory activity of the newly synthesized compounds, investigate the cytotoxic potential of both sets of synthesized compounds (<b>1</b>–<b>7</b> and <b>8</b>–<b>14</b>), and select the most promising anti-inflammatory and antitumor drug candidates. The results of the in vivo anti-inflammatory study clearly showed that compounds <b>8</b> and <b>9</b> were capable of decreasing paw edema, as evident from a high percentage of inhibition (44.83% and 49.29%, respectively). In addition, the results of in vitro enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that neither of the newly synthesized compounds reached 50% inhibition of 5-LOX at concentrations lower than 100 µM. In terms of antitumor potential, derivatives <b>3</b> and <b>8</b> exhibited strong cytotoxic effects on the HeLa cell line, suggesting the involvement of the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. According to the overall results obtained for both sets of synthesized molecules, derivatives <b>4</b> and <b>8</b> can be underlined as molecules with the strongest anti-inflammatory activity, while derivatives <b>3</b> and <b>8</b> are the most promising cytotoxic agents.