Anticancer Activity of Coumarin–Pyrazoline Hybrids: A Mini-review

The progress in the field of cytotoxic compounds based on coumarin–pyrazoline hybrids is presented in this literature review. Most of these hybrids have been obtained via ring closure of the pyrazoline moiety through the reaction of coumarin-containing chalcone analogs with hydrazine and its derivatives. A small number of coumarin–pyrazoline hybrids have been also prepared through subsequent chemical modifications of the reactive functions at N-1 of pyrazoline. The structure–cytotoxicity data of coumarin–pyrazoline hybrids reported in literature has been organized according to the nature of the substituent at N-1 (hydrogen, acetyl and substituted acetyl, aryl, carboxamide, thioamide and derivatives). Several excellent anti-proliferative agents have been identified within each of these subclasses of coumarin–pyrazoline hybrids. The garnered evidence strongly supports the relevance of these hybrids in the design of cytotoxic agents while providing the information required for further advances in this line of research.