Synthesis and biological activity of novel zingerone-thiohydantoin hybrids

A series of zingerone–thiohydantoin hybrids were synthesized from O-alkyl zingerone derivatives by cyclocondensation with thiosemicarbazide in a two-step reaction. The obtained new potentially bioactive compounds were structurally characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, as well as by elemental and HRMS analysis. In addition, their antimicrobial and in vitro anticancer activities were tested. The tested compounds showed low to moderate antimicrobial activity. Zingerone–thiohydantoin hybrid with an O-butyl substituent exerted the significant cytotoxic activity on colon HCT-116 cancer cells, without toxicity on healthy MRC-5 cells.