Fungal vincristine from Eutypella spp - CrP14 isolated from Catharanthus roseus induces apoptosis in human squamous carcinoma cell line -A431.

Background: Catharanthus roseus, a medicinal plant, is known to produce secondary metabolites, vincristine and vinblastine, which are terpenoid indole alkaloids. Previously we have reported that Eutypella spp - CrP14 isolated from stem cutting of this plant had shown significant antiproliferative activity when tested in vitro against HeLa cell line. The present study was conducted to identify the anticancer compound responsible for the anti-proliferative activity of the fungal extract and to evaluate its in vitro anticancer and apoptotic effects.

An Endophytic Fungus, Talaromyces radicus, Isolated from Catharanthus roseus, Produces Vincristine and Vinblastine, Which Induce Apoptotic Cell Death.

Endophytic fungi isolated from Catharanthus roseus were screened for the production of vincristine and vinblastine. Twenty-two endophytic fungi isolated from various tissues of C. roseus were characterized taxonomically by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA and grouped into 10 genera: Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Colletotrichum, Dothideomycetes, Eutypella, Eutypa, Flavodon, Fusarium and Talaromyces.