Plant-derived triterpenoids as potential antineoplastic agents.
Man has relied on plants as a source of medicinal agents for centuries. Today, with the specter of antibiotic resistance, emerging infectious diseases, and cancers, phytochemicals continue to provide new structural leads for the chemotherapeutic industry. A number of triterpenoids have shown promise as antineoplastic agents. Members of the cycloartane, lupane, ursane, oleanane, friedelane (especially quinone methides), dammarane, cucurbitacin, and limonoid triterpenoids, have demonstrated anti-proliferative activity on various cancer cell lines. This review covers the recent developments regarding antineoplastic/cytotoxic triterpenoids, excluding saponins, from higher plants.
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Department of Chemistry, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA. wsetzer@chemistry.uah.edu
Setzer
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D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes