This patent of invention reports the method for the preparation of
1,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-penta-1,4-dien-3-one and derivatives
with antitumoral properties: the sample denominated 37 compound was
obtained with high yield and purity with ultrasonic technique presenting
cytostatic activity (growth inhibition) in the concentrations evaluated
and cytotoxic activity (cellular death) from the concentration of 0.25
mg/mL against nine different types of human cancer cell lines. This
compound has a LD.sub.50, equals to 8.54 g/Kg. That means this product
can be considered itself as practically nontoxic. Doxorubicin,
anticarcinogen medicine used as reference in all these tests, is a
product extremely toxic (LD.sub.50 of 20 mg/Kg) and it does not inhibit
the growth of Mama NCI-ADR cell line (the one that expresses the
phenotype of resistance against multiple drugs), therefore, out product
presented a strong cytostatic activity. Other derivatives also presented
a strong cytostatic activity, especially the one denominated EHB1
compound.