The anticancer activity of the roots of Ervatamia heyneana (Apocynaceae) was found to be due principally to the known alkaloid, camptothecin (1). The closely related, but less active, 9-methoxycamptothecin (2) was also obtained. This is the first reported isolation of these biogenetically interesting alkaloids from the indole alkaloid rich Apocynaceae.

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Anti-tumour activity of RC-18, a pure isolate from Rubia cordifolia was repeatedly tested in different sets of experiments on a spectrum of experimental murine tumours, viz. P388, L1210, L5178Y, B16 melanoma, Lewis lung carcinoma and sarcoma-180. RC-18 exhibited significant increase in life span of ascites leukaemia P388, L1210, L5178Y and a solid tumour B16 melanoma. However, it failed to show any inhibitory effect on solid tumours, Lewis lung carcinoma and sarcoma 180. Promising results against a spectrum of experimental tumours suggest that RC-18 may lead to the development of a potential anti-cancer agent.