Camptothecin is an alkaloid compound used as an anti-cancer agent. It is a topoisomerase I inhibitor in DNA synthesis. Camptothecin has been shown to bind and stabilize a topoisomerase I-DNA complex in vitro, preventing the enzyme from reannealing DNA strands. This inhibition specifically effects the S-phase of cell development and ultimately results in apoptosis due to damaged DNA.
Camptothecin is produced by endosymbiotic fungi, from the division Ascomycota (Phycomycete), that are present in the tree Camptotheca acuminata which is native to southern China. Camptothecin (Mappia foetida), (GoldBio Catalog # C-565) has also been isolated from fungi on Mappia foetida (Nothapodytes foetida), a plant common to India.
Product SpecificationsCamptothecin(Camptotheca acuminata)
Formula: C20H16N2O4
MW: 348.65 g/mol
Storage/Handling: Store desiccated at 4°C.
PubChem Chemical ID: 24360