Cryptophycin

**Semantic type:** Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein|Antibiotic|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** The cryptophycins are a family of 16-membered macrolide antimitotic agents isolated from the cyanobacteria Nostoc sp. The mechanism of anticancer activity of the cryptophycins has been associated with their destabilization of microtubules and induction of bcl-2 phosphorylation leading to apoptosis. Cryptophycins demonstrated activity against the wide spectrum of solid tumors including those that overexpress the multidrug resistance efflux pump P-glycoprotein. (NCI)

**Synonyms:** - 10-((3-Chloro-4-methoxyphenyl)methyl)-6-methyl-3-(2-methylpropyl)-16-(1-(3-phenyloxiranyl)ethyl)-1,4-dioxa-8,11-diazacyclohexadec-13-ene-2,5,9,12-tetrone - CRYPTOPHYCIN 1 - Cryptophycin 1