In early 2004, Cragg and Newman reviewed new developments
in the field of topoisomerase inhibitors in a special
issue of the Journal of Natural Products honoring Drs.
Monroe Wall and Mansukh Wani, the codiscoverers of both
Taxol and camptothecin.The history of camptothecin (42;Scheme 9) is presented in that review. Although the majority
of new topoisomerase I inhibitors are based on the camptothecin
pharmacophore, various derivatives of the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine (69; Scheme 15) inhibit both
topoisomerase I and II