The discovery of the vinca alkaloids--chemotherapeutic agents against cancer
- PMID: 2085431
The discovery of the vinca alkaloids--chemotherapeutic agents against cancer
Abstract
In folklore medicine, extracts of the leaves of the subtropical plant Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (sometimes known as Madagascar periwinkle) were reputed to be useful in the treatment of diabetes. This review describes how attempts to verify the antidiabetic properties of the extracts led instead to the discovery and isolation of two complex indole alkaloids, vinblastine and vincristine, which are used in the clinical treatment of a variety of cancers. The two alkaloids, although structurally almost identical, nevertheless differ markedly in the type of tumors that they affect and in their toxic properties. These and related alkaloids have been the subject of many pharmacological and biochemical investigations both in vivo and in vitro in the search for improved cancer treatments. A model system used in these studies, a transplantable lymphoma in Noble strain rats designated Nb2 node, has serendipitously led to the development of a highly sensitive and specific bioassay for lactogenic hormones.
Similar articles
-
The evolution and history of Vinca alkaloids: From the Big Bang to the treatment of pediatric acute leukemia.Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024 Nov;71(11):e31247. doi: 10.1002/pbc.31247. Epub 2024 Aug 9. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2024. PMID: 39120434 Review.
-
Production and metabolic engineering of terpenoid indole alkaloids in cell cultures of the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Madagascar periwinkle).Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2009 Apr;52(Pt 4):313-23. doi: 10.1042/BA20080239. Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2009. PMID: 19281450 Review.
-
Poisoning the spindle: serendipity and discovery of the anti-tumor properties of the Vinca alkaloids.Can Bull Med Hist. 2000 Nov;17(1-2):155-92. doi: 10.3138/cbmh.17.1.155. Can Bull Med Hist. 2000. PMID: 14526803
-
Vinca alkaloids.Int J Prev Med. 2013 Nov;4(11):1231-5. Int J Prev Med. 2013. PMID: 24404355 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Poisoning the spindle: serendipity and discovery of the anti-tumor properties of the Vinca alkaloids (Part II).Pharm Hist. 2002;44(3):105-19. Pharm Hist. 2002. PMID: 12500773 No abstract available.
Cited by
-
Preparation and physicochemical properties of vinblastine microparticles by supercritical antisolvent process.Int J Mol Sci. 2012 Oct 3;13(10):12598-607. doi: 10.3390/ijms131012598. Int J Mol Sci. 2012. PMID: 23202916 Free PMC article.
-
Murine leukemia P388 vinorelbine-resistant cell lines are sensitive to vinflunine.Invest New Drugs. 2008 Aug;26(4):319-30. doi: 10.1007/s10637-007-9102-3. Epub 2007 Dec 11. Invest New Drugs. 2008. PMID: 18071633
-
EASI Transformation: An Efficient Transient Expression Method for Analyzing Gene Function in Catharanthus roseus Seedlings.Front Plant Sci. 2019 Jun 11;10:755. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00755. eCollection 2019. Front Plant Sci. 2019. PMID: 31263474 Free PMC article.
-
Endophytic Fungi-Alternative Sources of Cytotoxic Compounds: A Review.Front Pharmacol. 2018 Apr 26;9:309. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00309. eCollection 2018. Front Pharmacol. 2018. PMID: 29755344 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Natural Health Products (NHP's) and Natural Compounds as Therapeutic Agents for the Treatment of Cancer; Mechanisms of Anti-Cancer Activity of Natural Compounds and Overall Trends.Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 11;21(22):8480. doi: 10.3390/ijms21228480. Int J Mol Sci. 2020. PMID: 33187200 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Personal name as subject
- Actions
LinkOut - more resources
Other Literature Sources