Coumarins are commonly used in the treatment of prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma and leukemia, and they also have the ability to counteract the side effects caused by radiotherapy. Both natural and synthetic coumarin derivatives draw attention due to their photochemotherapy and therapeutic applications in cancer.
coumarin was well tolerated at the applied doses (600–5000 mgs)
Coumarin is prepared by treating the sodium salt of ortho-hydroxybenzqaldehyde with acetic anhydride. It involves other methods which have been developed by Pechmann Claisen, Knoevenagal, Reformatsky reaction and Wittig for the synthesis of pyrone-ring moieties in coumarins.