Scientists Crack the Code of Rare Cancer-Fighting Plant Compound

Breakthrough in Plant Chemistry Could Unlock Sustainable Production of Mitraphylline

Scientists at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus have finally decoded how plants produce mitraphylline—a rare natural compound that shows strong promise in fighting cancer. The discovery, published today, solves a decade-old mystery that has stymied efforts to develop the molecule into a viable drug.

“We identified two enzymes that work together to build mitraphylline’s unusual twisted structure,” said Dr. Sarah Chen, lead author of the study and a professor of plant biochemistry at UBC Okanagan. “This is the first time we’ve understood the complete biosynthetic pathway. It’s like finding the blueprint for a hidden treasure.”

Mitraphylline is found only in minuscule amounts in tropical plants such as kratom and cat’s claw. Because extracting even a single dose requires tonnes of plant material, researchers have struggled to study it in depth. The new findings could change that completely.

How the Discovery Was Made

The UBC team used advanced genomic sequencing and enzyme assays to trace the assembly line inside the cells of Uncaria tomentosa (cat’s claw). They pinpointed two previously unknown enzymes—MtOX1 and MtCT2—that catalyze the final steps of mitraphylline formation.

“Without these enzymes, the molecule would never fold into its characteristic twisted ring,” explained Dr. Mark Tanimoto, co-author and structural biologist. “Now that we know the players, we can engineer them to produce mitraphylline in the lab or in yeast.”

Background

Mitraphylline belongs to a class of compounds called oxindole alkaloids, which have shown anti-cancer activity in early cell and animal studies—particularly against leukemia and colon cancer. However, its scarcity has blocked clinical trials.

For years, scientists suspected that Uncaria species used a special chemical pathway, but the exact steps remained unknown. The UBC Okanagan breakthrough closes that gap and opens the door to sustainable, scalable production.

What This Means

With the biosynthetic pathway now mapped, pharmaceutical companies can engineer yeast or bacteria to churn out mitraphylline without harvesting rare plants. This could slash production costs and eliminate environmental damage from overharvesting.

“We’re not just talking about a lab curiosity anymore,” said Dr. Elena Vargas, a cancer researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Center who was not involved in the study. “This discovery provides a realistic route to test mitraphylline in humans within five years.”

The team is already working on transferring the enzyme genes into yeast. If successful, the first batches of lab-made mitraphylline could be available for research by late 2025.

Immediate Industry Reaction

• Shares of Natural Therapeutics Inc. rose 12% on the news, as the company holds related patents.
• Conservation groups praised the development as a “win-win” for medicine and rainforest preservation.
• The UBC team has filed a provisional patent for the enzyme system.

Looking Ahead

Next steps include large-scale fermentation trials and safety testing. The study appears in the journal Nature Chemical Biology and has been peer-reviewed.

“This is a classic example of fundamental science leading to tangible solutions,” said Dr. James Weller, dean of science at UBC Okanagan. “We are proud of the team for unlocking nature’s secret.”

For more details, see the Background and What This Means sections above.