Picropodophyllotoxin (AXL 1717) is a cyclolignan alkaloid found in the mayapple plant family (Podophyllum peltatum), and a small molecule inhibitor of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) with potential antineoplastic activity. Picropodophyllotoxin (AXL 1717) specifically inhibits the activity and downregulates the cellular expression of IGF1R without interfering with activities of other growth factor receptors, such as receptors for insulin, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and mast/stem cell growth factor (KIT). This agent shows potent activity in the suppression o f tumor cell proliferation and the induction of tumor cell apoptosis. IGF1R, a receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in a variety of human cancers, plays a critical role in the growth and survival of many types of cancer cells.

(-)-Epipodophyllotoxin (2) is an antiproliferative agent against cancer cells with GI50s of 0.36 and 0.24 μM in HeLa cells and MCF-7 cells, respectively. (-)-Epipodophyllotoxin can inhibit mitotic spindle assembly in vitro.