The biological activities of podophyllotoxin compounds.

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Abstract
Podophyllotoxin (I), like deoxypodophyllotoxin (II), showed various biological activities. First, I had ichthyotoxic activity: the median tolerance limit at 48 h was 0.73 ppm in Oryzias latipes and 1.20 ppm in Carassius auratus. Second, I showed inhibitory activities on the growth of two plant species at a concentration of 50 ppm. Third, I showed insecticidal activities against all insects examined except for Spodoptera litura. A rather strong insecticidal activity toward Epilachna sparsa orientalis larvae was found, with mortality of 95% at 20 ppm. Furthermore, I and II had marked antitumor activities against L 5178 Y mouse leukemic cells in vitro [ID50 (.mu.g/ml): II, 0.0047 and I, 0.0054].