Interactions between ellipticine derivatives and the mitochondrial respiratory chain

The interaction of monomeric and dimeric derivatives of ellipticine (a plant alkaloid) with plant mitochondria was studied by following electron transport and phosphorylative activities. It is shown that these compounds act as powerful inhibitors of the electron transfer in the terminal enzyme, i.e. cytochrome c oxidase, (presumably in the vicinity of cytochromes a-a 3) and exhibit uncoupling activities. The possibility of mitochondrial inner membrane being one of the sites of action of ellipticine derivatives is discussed in relation with their well-known pharmacological properties.