A review of the chemistry of the antitumor benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids nitidine and fagaronine and of the related antitumor alkaloid coralyne

Fagaronine, a novel antileukaemic alkaloid

“…NTD also possesses other activities: inhibition of yeast respi-ration, effects on cardiovascular function, antiplant world and at a phytochemical and therapeutic trypanosomal activity, secondary activity against B 16 level. It would seem that this molecule is of real melanoma (Phillips and Castle, 1981).…”

“…Fish and Waterman (1972) analysed the alkaloids of seven African species Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 19721973 Fish andWaterman, 1972;1973Phillips and Castle, 1981Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fournet, 1978Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 19721973;Phillips andCastle, 1981 Fish andWaterman, 1972;1973;Schnell, 1957;Walker and Sillans, 1961Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 19721973;Phillips and Castle, 1981;Waterman, 1986Fish and Waterman, 1973Fish and Waterman, 1973Phillips and Castle,l981 Fish and Waterman, 1972;1973 It would seem that a peak in the level of alkaloids of the 1-benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline category is reached in the Rutaceae to then be replaced by more 'modern' metabolites such as anthranilic acid derivatives and coumarins; under these conditions, Zunthoxylum and Fugaru could then be considered as primitive genera within the Rutaceae.…”

Antimicrobially Active Alkaloids

“…Fagaronine, a potential new antitumor drug (for a review see Barret and Sauvaire, 1992;Phillips and Castle, 1981) has bactericidal activity as well (Pezzuto et al, 1983). Stermitz et al (1975) reported on the synthesis of a series of antitumor benzophenanthridine alkaloids, including fagaronine, and found these to exhibit antimicrobial activity as well .…”

Rutaceae Juss.

“…Species of Zanthoxylum also contain several alkaloids, including a number of benzophenanthridine types, of which nitidine is common to many (Fish et al 1975;Phillips and Castle 1981;Hu et al 2007). Nitidine has a wide variety of biological effects.…”