[Antitumor and toxic effects of amotin]

An indole alkaloid isolated from Catharanthus roseus in the Soviet Union and named amotin differs in terpenoid moiety structure of the indole part of the molecule from the foreign preparation vinblastine and its Soviet analog rosevine. In experimental study amotin has exhibited a high antileukemic activity which was more expressed than that of vinblastine. Tolerant doses of amotin cause moderate reversible morphological alterations in hematopoietic organs, gastrointestinal mucosa, liver, kidney, adrenals, testes, ovaries.