Compounds, compositions and methods of agelastatin alkaloids

1. A method for treating a cancer in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

wherein:

R 1 is H or CH 3 ;

R 2 is —OH or —OCH 3 ;

R 3 is —H or —OH; and

R 4 is —H, or —Br when R 1 is —CH 3 ; and

wherein the cancer is cervical carcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, or breast carcinoma, with the proviso that the compound is not:

wherein the cancer is cervical cancer and the compound is agelastatin B, D, or E,

wherein the cancer is non-small cell lung carcinoma and the compound is agelastatin D, or

wherein the cancer is breast carcinoma and the compound is agelastatin B, D, or E.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —CH 3 .

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is —OH.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 3 is —H.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 4 is —Br when R 1 is —CH 3 .

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I has no or low hemolytic activity at about 300 μM.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I causes less than about 10% hemolysis two hours after administration at about 300 μM.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I does not affect tubulin dynamics within cells.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula I is administered in a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

14. A method for treating blood cancer in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a compound of formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

wherein:

R 1 is —H or —CH 3 ;

R 2 is —OH or —OCH 3 ;

R 3 is —H or —OH; and

R 4 is —H, or —Br when R 1 is —CH 3 ; and

wherein said method treats blood cancer, inhibits growth of blood cancer cells, inhibits proliferation of blood cancer cells, promotes apoptosis of blood cancer cells, arrests cell cycle in blood cancer cells, or induces arrest in G2/M phase in blood cancer cells, or any combination thereof wherein the compound is agelastain B, D, or E.

15. A method for treating a cancer in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,

wherein:

R 1 is —H or —CH 3 ;

R 2 is —OH or —OCH 3 ;

R 3 is —H or —OH; and

R 4 is —H, or —Br when R 1 is —CH 3 ; and

wherein the cancer is cervical carcinoma wherein the compound is agelastain B, D, or E.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein R 1 is —CH 3 .

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein R 2 is —OH.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein R 3 is —H.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein R 4 is —Br when R 1 is —CH 3 .

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound is

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound is

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound is

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound of formula I has no or low hemolytic activity at about 300 μM.

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound of formula I causes less than about 10% hemolysis two hours after administration at about 300 μM.

25. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound of formula I does not affect tubulin dynamics within cells.

26. The method of claim 15 , wherein the compound of formula I is administered in a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.