New insights into the anticancer therapeutic potential of maytansine and its derivatives

Maytansine is a pharmacologically active 19-membered ansamacrolide derived from various medicinal plants and microorganisms. Among the most studied pharmacological activities of maytansine over the past few decades are anticancer and anti-bacterial effects. The anticancer mechanism of action is primarily mediated through interaction with the tubulin thereby inhibiting the assembly of microtubules. This ultimately leads to decreased stability of microtubule dynamics and cause cell cycle arrest, resulting in apoptosis. Despite its potent pharmacological effects, the therapeutic applications of maytansine in clinical medicine are quite limited due to its non-selective cytotoxicity. To overcome these limitations, several derivatives have been designed and developed mostly by modifying the parent structural skeleton of maytansine. These structural derivatives exhibit improved pharmacological activities as compared to maytansine. The present review provides a valuable insight into maytansine and its synthetic derivatives as anticancer agents.

Automated summary

Maytansine is an active drug derived from medicinal plants and microorganisms. Its pharmacological activities primarily include anticancer and antibacterial effects. The anticancer mechanism of maytansine is achieved through interaction with tubulin, inhibiting microtubule assembly and leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, its non-selective cytotoxicity limits its clinical applications. Researchers have developed derivatives of maytansine with improved pharmacological activities. This review provides valuable insights into maytansine and its synthetic derivatives as anticancer agents.