Description
Homoharringtonine is an alkaloid found in Cephalotaxus that binds the A site of the 60 S ribosomal subunit, preventing aminoacyl-tRNA binding, inhibiting protein translation, and inducing cell death; it exhibits anticancer chemotherapeutic and immunosuppressive activities. Homoharringtonine is clinically used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and is currently in clinical trials as a potential treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. In clinical subjects, homoharringtonine decreases the number of CD34+, CD117+ cells.