Microtubule-interacting activity and cytotoxicity of the prenylated coumarin ferulenol.

In this study we investigated biological activity of ferulenol, a prenylated 4-hydroxycoumarin from Ferula communis. Ferulenol stimulates tubulin polymerization in vitro, and inhibits the binding of radiolabeled colchicine to tubulin. It rearranges cellular microtubule network into short fibres, and alters nuclear morphology. Remarkably, ferulenol exerts a dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against various human tumor cell lines. Abbreviations. DAPI:4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole DMEM:Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium EGTA:ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid FBS:fetal bovine serum FITC:fluoresceine isothiocyanate GTP:guanosine 5'-triphosphate MES:2-[N-morpholino]ethane-sulfonic acid MTP:microtubule protein SDS:sodium dodecyl sulfate