What is Camptothecin (CPT)?
Camptothecin is a plant secondary metabolite used as an anti-cancer drug that damages DNA, leading to the destruction of the cell. It comes from Camptotheca acuminata, a deciduous tree found in southern China. Stem woods of Nothopodytes foetida (previously known as Mappia foetida) found in the western ghats of India are an even better source of camptothecin.