Vinca alkaloid

Vinca alkaloids are a set of anti-mitotic and anti-microtubule alkaloid agents originally derived from the periwinkle plant Catharanthus roseus (basionym Vinca rosea) and other vinca plants.

History[edit | edit source]

Vinca alkaloids were first discovered in the 1950s by Canadian scientists, Robert Noble and Charles Beer. The discovery was made while investigating the anti-diabetic properties of the plant. The first vinca alkaloid to be discovered was vincristine, followed by vinblastine.

Mechanism of action[edit | edit source]

Vinca alkaloids bind to specific sites on tubulin, inhibiting the assembly of tubulin dimers into microtubules. The prevention of these microtubules from forming prevents mitosis (cell division) from occurring. This makes vinca alkaloids a type of chemotherapy known as antimitotic agents.

Types[edit | edit source]

There are four major vinca alkaloids in clinical use:

Side effects[edit | edit source]

Common side effects of vinca alkaloids include:

Nausea and vomiting
Neuropathy
Constipation
Alopecia (hair loss)
Myelosuppression (decreased production of blood cells)

References[edit | edit source]

Vinca alkaloid Resources
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