Biological activity of N6-furfuryladenosine

Cytokinins are a group of plant hormones which play an important role in plant growth and development. They produce various effects when applied to intact plants. They particularly stimulate protein synthesis and participate in cell cycle control. First discovered cytokinin was N6-furfuryladenine (kinetin). It is a strong inhibitor of proteins and nucleic acids oxidation in vitro and in vivo. Both kinetin and its ribosides (N6-furfuryladenosine, kinetin riboside) as natural compounds occur in the milk of coconuts on the nanomole level. Kinetin riboside selectively inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells and induce their apoptosis. This review focuses on the kinetin riboside occurrence, and primarily on its metabolism, and biological activity.