Anticancer Potential Of Cephalotaxine and Derivatives as an Alternative for Invasive Therapies

Cancer is identified by the abnormal accumulation of rapidly dividing cells, serving as the collective term for a multitude of similar conditions categorized through cell growth and proliferation. The disease continues to lead death tolls worldwide and extends to communities across the board in terms of socioeconomic status.(^1) From 1991 to 2017, experts recorded a slight drop in cancer death rates, which can be accredited to an influx of scientific advancements within the past decade that allowed for the implementation of targeted therapy.(^1) In preclinical research, this therapy implies the conjugation of independent drugs retaining anti-carcinogenic properties. The current state of cancer pathology is observed to be non-specific and is, oftentimes, taxing on the patient, proving the need for localized treatment and more efficient drugs. This article analyzes the effectiveness of one compound under the harringtonine alkaloid family, cephalotaxine (CET).(^27) In this work, our team examines the biochemical profile of CET and congener homoharringtonine to hypothesize cephalotaxine’s efficacy as an alternative to invasive cancer therapy.