Biological Activity
Ellipticine hydrochloride is a potent antineoplastic agent; inhibits DNA topoisomerase II activities.
In Vitro
Ellipticine is a potent antineoplastic agent exhibiting the multimodal mechanism of its action. The mechanisms of ellipticine antitumor, mutagenic and cytotoxic activities are suggested to be intercalation into DNA and inhibition of DNA topoisomerase II activity. Another mode of ellipticine action is the formation of covalent DNA adducts mediated by its oxidation with cytochromes P450 (CYP) and peroxidases[1]. Ellipticine can also act as an inhibitor or inducer of biotransformation enzymes, thereby modulating its own metabolism leading to its genotoxic and pharmacological effects. Treatment of cells with ellipticine results in inhibition of cell growth and proliferation. This effect is associated with formation of two covalent ellipticine-derived DNA adducts[2].
In Vivo
Ellipticine treatment results in ellipticine-derived DNA adduct generation in several healthy organs (liver, kidney, lung, spleen, breast, heart and brain) and in DNA of mammary adenocarcinoma. The levels of ellipticine-derived DNA adducts generated in these adenocarcinomas are almost 2-fold higher than in normal healthy mammary tissue. The induced expression of cytochrome b5 protein in liver of rats treated with ellipticine suggests that cytochrome b5 may modulate the CYP-mediated bioactivation and detoxification of ellipticine[3].
References & source
Published experimental findings depend on the model and assay conditions. They do not guarantee equivalent performance in every application. For laboratory research use only.