Mode of action of bullatacin: A potent antitumor and pesticidal Annonaceous acetogenin

Bullatacin, a compound isolated from plants of the Annonaceae, and its analogues show in vivo potential as antitumor agents based on their efficacy in normal mice bearing L1210 murine leukemia and athymic mice bearing A2780 conventional ovarian cancer xenografts. These compounds also have interesting potential as insecticides and inhibit respiration in insect-derived Sf9 cells with high potency. Their toxicity in both cases probably arises from their strong inhibition of mitochondrial electron transport with a specific action at complex I.