Description
Ophiobolin A (Cochliobolin A) is a tetracyclic sesterterpenoid phytotoxin isolated from cochliobolus heterostrophus. This phytotoxin displays growth-inhibitory effects both in plants cells and in mammalian cells. Ophiobolin A was found to have anti-tumor effect in the B16F10 mouse melanoma model with lung pseudometastases.
Ophiobiolin A induces paraptosis-like cell death in human glioblastoma cells by decreasing BKCa channel activity.
In addition, ophiobolin A’s anti-cancer activity is attributed to its covalent modification of phosphatidylethanolamine in human cancer cells as well as its ability to activate mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in tumor cells.