ABSTRACT
The family Icacinaceae consists of approximately 50 genera and 400 species of trees, shrubs, and woody climbers of tropical distribution, which are known to produce purine and monoterpenoid isoquinoline alkaloids, iridoids, saponins, and proanthocyanins. The combined sales of irinotecan and topotecan were expected to reach $1 billion. The question arises as to whether other camptothecin-like alkaloids are present in other members of the family, and an interesting development would be to focus on alkaloids of Icacinaceae for cytotoxic and antiviral activity. Gonocaryum subrostratum Pierre, Gonocaryum gracile Miq., Gonocaryum calleryanum Becc., Gomphandra quadrifida Sleumer var. angustifolia Sleumer, Gomphandra quadrifida Sleumer var. ovalifolia Sleumer, and Rhyticarium sp. are used for medicinal purposes in the Asia—Pacific.
