Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

Camptothecin (IUPAC: 4-(9H-Camptothecin-10(9H)-yl)-1-piperidinecarboxamide), molecular formula C20H16N2O4, molecular weight 348.35 g/mol, is a quinoline alkaloid featuring a pentacyclic ring system with a γ-lactone moiety. It functions as a topoisomerase I inhibitor, inducing DNA strand breaks and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. Therapeutically, it is employed as an antineoplastic agent. The compound is a yellow crystalline solid with low water solubility and instability in acidic conditions. Its mechanism involves stabilizing the topoisomerase I-DNA complex, preventing religation and causing replication fork stalling.