Indole-based hydrazide-hydrazones and 4-thiazolidinones: synthesis and evaluation as antitubercular and anticancer agents

A new series of indolylhydrazones (6) and indole-based 4-thiazolidinones (7, 8) have been designed, synthesized and screened for in vitro antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. 4-Thiazolidinone derivatives 7g-7j, 8g, 8h and 8j displayed notable antituberculosis (anti-TB) activity showing 99% inhibition at MIC values ranging from 6.25 to 25.0 mu g/ml. Compounds 7g, 7h, 7i, 8h and 8j demonstrated anti-TB activity at concentrations 10-fold lower than those cytotoxic for the mammalian cell lines. The indolylhydrazone derivative 6b has also been evaluated for antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines at the National Cancer Institute (USA). Compound 6b showed an interesting anticancer profile against different human tumor-derived cell lines at sub-micromolar concentrations with obvious selectivity toward colon cancer cell line COLO 205.