A rare cancer-fighting plant compound has been decoded
Researchers have finally cracked nature’s recipe for a rare cancer fighting plant compound.
Date: May 12, 2026 Source: University of British Columbia Okanagan Summary: Scientists at UBC Okanagan have uncovered how plants produce mitraphylline, a rare natural compound with promising anti cancer potential. The team identified two enzymes that work together to build the molecule’s unusual twisted structure, solving a mystery that had puzzled researchers for years. Because mitraphylline appears only in tiny amounts in tropical plants like kratom and cat’s claw, the discovery could make it far easier to produce sustainably in the future. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY
Researchers at UBC Okanagan have uncovered the process plants use to create mitraphylline, a rare natural compound that has attracted attention for its possible cancer fighting properties.
Mitraphylline belongs to a unique class of plant chemicals known as spirooxindole alkaloids. These molecules are recognized for their unusual twisted ring structures and their powerful biological effects, including anti inflammatory and anti tumor activity.
Even though scientists have studied these compounds for years, the exact molecular steps plants use to produce them had remained unknown.
Breakthrough Discovery in Plant Chemistry
That mystery began to unravel in 2023 when Dr. Thu-Thuy Dang's team in UBC Okanagan's Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science identified the first known plant enzyme capable of twisting a molecule into the distinctive spiro shape.
Building on that earlier finding, doctoral student Tuan-Anh Nguyen led new research that uncovered two critical enzymes involved in the production of mitraphylline. One enzyme organizes the molecule into the correct three dimensional structure, while the second transforms it into mitraphylline itself.
"This is similar to finding the missing links in an assembly line," says Dr. Dang, UBC Okanagan Principal's Research Chair in Natural Products Biotechnology. "It answers a long-standing question about how nature builds these complex molecules and gives us a new way to replicate that process."
Why Mitraphylline Is So Valuable
Many promising natural compounds are found only in tiny amounts inside plants, making them difficult and expensive to recreate in laboratories. Mitraphylline is one of those rare substances. It exists only in trace quantities in tropical trees such as Mitragyna (kratom) and Uncaria (cat's claw), both members of the coffee family.
Now that researchers have identified the enzymes responsible for shaping and assembling mitraphylline, they have a clearer path toward producing the compound and related molecules in more sustainable ways.
"With this discovery, we have a green chemistry approach to accessing compounds with enormous pharmaceutical value," says Nguyen. "This is a result of UBC Okanagan's research environment, where students and faculty work closely to solve problems with global reach."
Nguyen also reflected on the experience of contributing to the breakthrough.
"Being part of the team that uncovered the enzymes behind spirooxindole compounds has been amazing," Nguyen adds. "UBC Okanagan's mentorship and support made this possible, and I'm excited to keep growing as a researcher here in Canada."
International Collaboration Fuels the Research
The project brought together Dr. Dang's laboratory at UBC Okanagan and Dr. Satya Nadakuduti's research group at the University of Florida.
Funding for the work came from Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council's Alliance International Collaboration program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Program. Additional support was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
"We are proud of this discovery coming from UBC Okanagan. Plants are fantastic natural chemists," Dr. Dang says. "Our next steps will focus on adapting their molecular tools to create a wider range of therapeutic compounds."
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of British Columbia Okanagan. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Larissa C Laforest, Tuan-Anh M Nguyen, Gabriel Oliveira Matsumoto, Pavithra Ramachandria, Andre Chanderbali, Siva Rama Raju Kanumuri, Abhisheak Sharma, Christopher R McCurdy, Thu-Thuy T Dang, Satya Swathi Nadakuduti. A chromosome-level Mitragyna parvifolia genome unveils spirooxindole alkaloid diversification and mitraphylline biosynthesis. The Plant Cell, 2025; 37 (9) DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koaf207
Cite This Page:
University of British Columbia Okanagan. "A rare cancer-fighting plant compound has been decoded." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 May 2026. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260512213836.htm>. University of British Columbia Okanagan. (2026, May 12). A rare cancer-fighting plant compound has been decoded. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 12, 2026 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260512213836.htm University of British Columbia Okanagan. "A rare cancer-fighting plant compound has been decoded." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260512213836.htm (accessed May 12, 2026).Explore More
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