Antimitotic and cytotoxic Activities of Guattegaumerine, a Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloid

Guattegaumerine was isolated from the bark of Guatteria gaumeri ( cf Dehaussy, Tits and Angenot, Planta Med. (1983) 49, 25-27) , a medicinal plant called Yumel in Yucatan (South Mexico).Guattegaumerine exerts a good activity at 5 micrograms/ml on B16 melanoma which is a relatively resistant tumor. It is less active against 2002 cells that are normal human cells.