STARKVILLE, Miss., Sep 8, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers say a
common weed -- the American mayapple -- may have anti-cancer properties.
An Asian cousin -- Podophyllyum emodi -- is nearly extinct because it produces
podophyllotoxin and the compound and its derivitives has been used in drugs
treating lung and testicular cancer, brain tumors, lymphoblastic leukemia,
psoriasis and malaria.
Researchers at Mississippi State University in Starkville and the University of
Mississippi in Oxford confirm that mayapple colonies in the eastern part of the
United States can be used for the development of high podophyllotoxin cultivars
to provide the base for commercial production of podophyllotoxin in the United
States.
"The objective of this study was to estimate podophyllotoxin concentration in
American mayapple across its natural habitats in the eastern United States and
to identify high podophyllotoxin types that could be used for further selection
and cultivar development," study leader Valtcho Zheljazkov said in a statement.
The findings are published in HortScience.
URL: www.upi.com