title: Discovery and development of anticancer agents from plants.
abstract: A novel in vitro assay for the discovery of anticancer agents was used to examine aqueous and organic extracts from 1847 plants collected mainly in the U.S. Southwest and West. The assay results were separated into 5 categories: inactive (62%), equally active (36%), equally active and potent (0.5%), solid tumor selective (1.4%), and human selective (0.8%). Extracts from the latter three categories were fractionated using the in vitro assay to biodirect each step. Psorothamnus emoryi extracts were solid tumor selective and yielded two active compounds upon fractionation: dalrubone and 5-methoxydalrubone. Calocedrus decurrens was equally active and potent and yielded deoxypodophyllotoxin as the active compound. Linanthus floribundus was human selective and yielded strophanthidin as the active compound. The potential of this assay to discover novel anticancer agents from the active extracts is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Josephine Ford Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA. fvaleril@hfhs.org
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valeriote
authors.forename: Charles K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Grieshaber
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Media
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pietraszkewicz
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Meide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts