[Plant-biology] Re: Information on campothecin

[bae from cs.toronto.no-uce.edu]

In article <mailman.1335.1180890059.5139.plantbio from net.bio.net>,
N C Shah  <drnshah from sancharnet.in> wrote:
> Subject: Information on campothecin
>Sir,
>I would be grateful if you kindly send me some information on
>campothecin and its in medicine.

It's spelled "camptothecin".  If you use that you will get lots of hits 
on google and other search engines.

Here's the wikipedia link to atart:
	
	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camptothecin

Basically, it's a new cancer drug isolated from Camptotheca acuminata and
other plants.  It's action is to interfere with the enzyme topoisomerase I,
causing breaks in the DNA which kills the cell.  Like most cancer
chemotherapy drugs, it also kills normal cells, and some derivatives
have been developed that have a better profile of desired vs undesired
effects.

Like many compounds derived from plants, it's a serious poison, and should
not be used as a "herbal remedy".