Derivatives of the DNA-intercalating agent N-[2-(dimethylamino) ethyl] phenanthridine-4- carboxamide(7) have been prepared and shown to have moderate in vivo antitumor activity against both the P388 leukemia and Lewis lung carcinoma. This demonstrates that the effective pharmacophore in the broad class of tricyclic carboxamides is not limited to linear tricyclic chromophores. Both 7 and the &phenyl derivative 10 have identical DNA binding ...
