Useful plants of dermatology. VIII. The false hellebore (Veratrum californicum).
Plants have and continue to provide medicine with an abundance of pharmacologically interesting and useful chemicals. In recent years, cyclopamine, a steroidal alkaloid isolated from Veratrum californicum, has been instrumental in dissecting the sonic hedgehog pathway. This brief report outlines cyclopamine's discovery with discussion of its potential application to clinical dermatology.
McFerren
Marcus A
MA
Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA. mmcferren001@yahoo.com
D000818:Animals; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013723:Teratogens; D014703:Veratrum; D014704:Veratrum Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
D028321:Plant Preparations; D013723:Teratogens; D014704:Veratrum Alkaloids; C000541:cyclopamine