Because the chrysanthemic acid derivatives comprise a class of natural insecticides, the synthesis of new compounds of this group and the studies of their action in various cell types deserve certain interest. We have found that the reactivity of juglonyl chrysanthemate and isonaphthazarinyl chrysanthemate towards the model single-electron transferring flavoenzyme ferredoxin : NADP⁺ reductase and two-electron-transferring DT-diaphorase correlated with the electron-accepting and sterical properties of analogous naphthoquinones. Their toxicity in primary mice splenocytes and bovine leukemia virus-transformed lamb kidney fibroblasts (line FLK) also correlated with the single-electron-transfer properties of model quinones which possess no chrysanthemate substituent. The cytotoxicity was partly protected by antioxidants and potentiated by the prooxidant 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1- nitrosourea and by the inhibitor of DT-diaphorase, dicumarol. This implies their ‘oxidative stress’-type cytotoxicity. Taken together, these data indicate that the chrysanthemate group may not introduce any additional factor(s) of quinone cytotoxicity in mammalian cells.

Keywords: chrysanthemic acid, quinone, mammalian cell cytotoxicity, ferredoxin : NADP+ reductase, DT-diaphorase