Two benzo[a]phenothiazines 5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (1), and its derivative 6-methyl-5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (2) inhibited the proliferation of human and mouse tumor cell lines. The multi-drug resistant (mdr) subline was more sensitive than its parent cell line to 5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (1), 6-methyl-5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (2) was equally antiproliferative against the three cell lines tested. Rhodamine 123 efflux of mdr cells was more efficiently inhibited by 5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (1) than by 6-methyl-5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (2). The exposure of adenovirus infected cells to 5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (1) resulted in a reduction of tumor-antigen expression, whereas 6-methyl-5H-benzo[a]phenothiazin-5-one (2) enhanced the T-antigen expression.