# NOVEL ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS FROM HIGHER PLANTS

> **NIH NIH R01** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 1992 · $143,958

## Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Investigator's Abstract):  The objective of this research is
the discovery and chemical study of novel cyototoxic agents from higher
plants. A  panel of human tumor cell lines (HTLC) (A-549 (lung carcinoma),
HT-29 (colon  adenocarcinoma), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), RPMl-7951
(melanoma) and  U251MG (glioblastoma multiforme) is utilized to measure in
vitro cytotoxicity.  Plants from the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile,
Egypt, Thailand and  China will be acquired for screening in the HTCL.
Those plants with confirmed  activities will be re-collected for large-
scale bioactivity-directed  fractionation.  Plants that are currently under
active fractionation and  chemical studies include Annona coriacea, Annona
muricata, Desmos cochinchinenis, Polytrichum ohioense, and Polytrichum
pallidisetum.  Structures of purified active compounds will be elucidated
by spectroscopic  and chemical methods.  Current spectroscopic studies
involve crystalline  actives from Annona coriacea, Desmos cochinchinensis
and Polytrichum ohioense.  Reisolation or semi-synthesis will be carried
out to provide sufficient  quantities of selected active lead compounds for
further evaluations in the  National Cancer Institute (NCI) in vitro human
tumor panel and in NCI's and  Abbott Laboratories' in vivo tumor models.
Two compounds (coriacin and 4- desoxycoriacin from Annona coriacea) have
shown significant in vivo activity  at Abbott Laboratory.  Chemical studies
of selected compounds will be  initiated to uncover structure-activity
relationships.  Lead compounds for the  chemical studies include the
polyketides from Annonaceae, aristolactams from  Pararistolochia flos-avis,
and vismiones from Psorospermum febrifugum.  Projects of this types have
significance based on advances achieved in the  investigators knowledge of
natural product chemistry and the discovery of  potent cytotoxic agents
which may have unique mechanisms of action.  In many  cases these compounds
find use as interesting biochemical/pharmacological  probes to help
elucidate basic biological processes in cells.  Although the  vast majority
of cytotoxic agents do not find use as drugs, they do provide  interesting
activity leads for the development of analogs for further  evaluation as
potential antineoplastic agents.  In addition, by evaluating  these
cytotoxic agents in appropriate animal tumor models, the potential  exists
to discover agents which may become candidates for further anticancer  drug
development.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3171252
- **Project number:** 2R01CA033326-10A1
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DLWBSLWAJWR1
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN M CASSADY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $143,958
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1982-09-30 → 1995-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3171252

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3171252, NOVEL ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS FROM HIGHER PLANTS (2R01CA033326-10A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3171252. Licensed CC0.

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