Calanolide A

Scientific Name(s): Calophyllum lanigerum var. austrocoriaceum
Common Name(s): Calanolide A

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 13, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Calanolide has demonstrated antimicrobial activity, and interest focuses on applications in HIV; however, clinical studies are lacking.

Dosing

Calanolide A is an investigational anti-HIV drug that has been given in early clinical trials at an oral dose of 200 to 800 mg; however, it is not available for use. Its safety and efficacy remain to be defined.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not yet been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Because this product is a relatively new discovery, no data are available.

Toxicology

Calanolide A is an investigational anti-HIV drug. Its safety and efficacy remain to be defined.

Scientific Family

• Clusiaceae (Mangosteen)

Botany

Calanolide A is a compound isolated from the latex of the tree Calophyllum lanigerum var. austrocoriaceum that grows in the rain forest of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. There are at least 200 species in the genus Calophyllum.McKee 1998, Shenon 1994, USDA 2016

History

Rain forests are a very promising source of natural medicines because of their vast diversity. It has been estimated that more than half of the world's 250,000 plant species exist in tropical rain forests. Searching for natural drugs in these areas, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) contracts scientists to gather specimens for analysis. In 1987, an Illinois team obtained samples from many trees, one of which was Calophyllum lanigerum. Four years later, the NCI discovered that a preparation from this gum tree was active against the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).Defant 2015, Shenon 1994

Chemistry

Plants from the genus Calophyllum have been shown to contain xanthones, steroids, triterpenes, coumarins, and benzopyrans. Calanolide A is considered a dipyranocoumarin, with nonnucleoside HIV-1 specific reverse transcriptase inhibiting properties. McKee 1998, McKee 1996 Many studies in this area discuss findings from the genus Calophyllum, and offer structural representations, related compounds and their derivatives, modifications of the molecule, etc.Galinis 1996, Kashman 1992, Ma 2008, McKee 1998, McKee 1996, Sekino 2004, Yu 2007, Zembower 1997 Calanolide A has been synthesized in the lab and was found to have similar actions to the natural product.Flavin 1996

Uses and Pharmacology

Antiviral activity

Calanolide A and other related compounds from the genus Calophyllum have demonstrated antiviral activity including nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibition,Matthee 1999, Newman 1998 and activity against influenza H3N1 and H1N1 viruses.Rajasekaran 2013

Animal data

Early interest in Calophyllum extracts in the management of HIV infections persists,Matthee 1999, Newman 1998 particularly as an option for clinically relevant m...