The present invention provides an antiproliferative compound having a
structural formula ##STR00001## where X and Y independently are oxygen,
nitrogen or sulfur; R.sup.1 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl,
carboxylic acid, carboxylate, carboxamide, ester, thioamide, thiolacid,
thiolester, saccharide, alkoxy-linked saccharide, amine, sulfonate,
sulfate, phosphate, alcohol, ethers or nitrites; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are
hydrogen or R.sup.4; R.sup.4 is methyl, benzyl carboxylic acid, benzyl
carboxylate, benzyl carboxamide, benzylester, saccharide or amine; and
R.sup.5 is alkenyl; where when Y is nitrogen, said nitrogen is
substituted with R.sup.6, wherein R.sup.6 is hydrogen or methyl. Also
provided are methods for treating a cell proliferative disease and for
inducing apoptosis in a cell comprising administering this compound is
also provided.