Design and synthesis of novel triazole-metronidazole boswellic acid hybrids for ovarian cancer targeting.

In this study, we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new series of triterpenoid metronidazole-linked 1H-1,2,3-triazole conjugates (16-23) as potential targeted therapies. These compounds were screened across a panel of ovarian cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic profiles of all β-AKBA and β-ABA metronidazole-triazole hybrids were evaluated against normal endothelial cells (HUVEC), cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer cells (A2780-S), and cisplatin-resistant cells (A2780-CP). Several derivatives showed enhanced cytotoxicity relative to their parent triterpenoids, with compound 21 exhibiting the most favourable selectivity index (SI ≈ 1.61), demonstrating preferential toxicity toward malignant cells while sparing normal cells. The selective cytotoxicity is controlled by reaching an ideal balance of molecular weight, topological polar surface area, hydrogen-bonding characteristics, and nitrogen-rich substituents, according to structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Computational docking studies further confirmed that compound 21 displays strong complementarity and robust binding affinity toward PARP6, suggesting a possible mechanism of action through PARP6 modulation. The study provides a promising platform for advancing triterpenoid-based targeted therapeutics in ovarian cancer therapy.