title: Podophyllotoxin.
abstract: Podophyllin, an ethanolic extract of Podophyllum peltatum L. or P. emodi Wall (syn. P. hexandnum Royle), is a good source of the aryltetralin-type lignan, podophyllotoxin. The latter compound, as well as its congeners and derivatives exhibit pronounced biological activity mainly as strong antiviral agents and as antineoplastic drugs. The podophyllotoxin derivatives etoposide, etopophos (etoposide phosphate), and teniposide are thus successfully utilized in the treatment of a variety of malignant conditions. Continued research on the Podophyllum lignans is currently focused on structure optimization to generate derivatives with superior pharmacological profiles and broader therapeutic scope, and the development of alternative and renewable sources of podophyllotoxin.
authors.affiliation: USDA, ARS, NPURU, National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University 38677, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Canel
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Dayan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D011034:Podophyllotoxin / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011034:Podophyllotoxin