Tabersonine is a terpene indole alkaloid found in the medicinal plant '' Catharanthus roseus'' and also in the genus Voacanga (both taxa belonging to the alkaloid-rich family

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (, from '' Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Notable mem ...

). Tabersonine is hydroxylated at the 16 position by the enzyme

tabersonine 16-hydroxylase In enzymology, a tabersonine 16-hydroxylase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :tabersonine + NADPH + H+ + O2 \rightleftharpoons 16-hydroxytabersonine + NADP+ + H2O The 4 substrates of this enzyme are tabersonine, NADPH, H+ ...

(T16H) to form 16-hydroxytabersonine.St-Pierre and De Luca (1995) A Cytochrome P-450 Monooxygenase Catalyzes the First Step in the Conversion of Tabersonine to Vindoline in Catharanthus roseus. Plant Physiology. 109(1). 131-139 The enzyme leading to its formation is currently unknown. Tabersonine is the first intermediate leading to the formation of vindoline one of the two precursors required for

vinblastine Vinblastine, sold under the brand name Velban among others, is a chemotherapy medication, typically used with other medications, to treat a number of types of cancer. This includes Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, bladder canc ...

biosynthesis.

References

{{Reflist Indole alkaloids

See also

References