Question

What are Vinca Alkaloids mechanism of action? Example?

a) Inhibit cell division; example is vincristine
b) Promote cell growth; example is vinblastine
c) Suppress immune response; example is vindesine
d) Stimulate apoptosis; example is vinorelbine

Answer 1

Vinca alkaloids, like vincristine, inhibit cell division by binding to tubulin and preventing spindle formation during mitosis, thus disrupting chromosome alignment and segregation which is crucial for the division of cancerous cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Vinca alkaloids mechanism of action involves the inhibition of cell division(option a). They are considered mitotic disrupters and primarily target the micotubule components of the cell during mitosis. Vincristine, for example, binds to tubulin, the subunit of microtubules, thereby interfering with the formation of spindles during the metaphase of cell division. This disruption prevents proper alignment and segregation of chromosomes, ultimately halting the process of cell division.

A well-known alkaloid example with this mechanism of action is vincristine (Oncovin®), a chemotherapy drug derived from the Madagascar periwinkle plant. Other drugs that act in a similar way include vinblastine (Velban®), which is used for cancer chemotherapy. The effect of these mitotic disrupters, such as vincristine and vinblastine, on cancerous cells is crucial for their therapeutic application in treating various forms of cancer.