Acylfulvene is a class of

cytotoxic Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are toxic metals, toxic chemicals, microbe neurotoxins, radiation particles and even specific neurotransmitters when the system is out of balance. Also some types of dr ...

semi-synthetic derivatives of

illudin The illudins are a family of sesquiterpenes with antitumor antibiotic properties produced by some mushrooms. In their isolated form, illudins show selective toxicity for myelocytic leukemia and other carcinoma cells. Illudins are highly toxic, wit ...

, a natural product that can be extracted from the jack o'lantern mushroom ''(

Omphalotus olearius ''Omphalotus olearius'', commonly known as the jack-o'-lantern mushroom, is a poisonous orange gilled mushroom that to an untrained eye appears similar to some chanterelles. It is notable for its bioluminescent properties. It is found in woodla ...

)''. One important acylfulvene, 6-hydroxymethylacylfulvene ( irofulven), has been evaluated for the treatment of a wide assortment of cancers and tumors. It is thought that acylfulvene compounds kill cancer cells by DNA

alkylation Alkylation is a chemical reaction that entails transfer of an alkyl group. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion, or a carbene (or their equivalents). Alkylating agents are reagents for effecting al ...

(see

DNA methylation DNA methylation is a biological process by which methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. Methylation can change the activity of a DNA segment without changing the sequence. When located in a gene promoter (genetics), promoter, DNA methylati ...

).Woynarowski, Jan M.; Napier, Cheryl; Koester, Steven K.; Chen, Shih-Fong; Troyer, Dean; Chapman, William; Macdonald, John R. Biochemical Pharmacology (1997), 54 (11), 1181-1193 CODEN: BCPCA6; . (Elsevier Science Inc.)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Acylfulvene Enones Tertiary alcohols Spiro compounds Cyclopropanes