Abstract

Substituted anthraquinones with hydroxyl groups are vital in organic synthesis due to their promising biological properties relevant to clinical applications. In this study, we synthesized amino-substituted anthraquinones and 1,4,5-trihydroxyanthraquinone from 1,4-dihydroxyanthraquinone and anacardic acid, respectively. In vitro testing against Trypanosoma brucei parasites showed notable activity and selectivity against human cell lines. Molecular docking analysis indicated favourable binding affinity of the compounds with the active site of trypanothione reductase. Overall, our study suggests that derivatives of substituted 1,4-dihydroxyanthraquinone hold promise in developing active drugs against trypanosomiasis.