Camptotheca acuminata is a member of the family Nyssaceae (tupelo family) and is native only to China and Tibet, where it is known as xi shu. They are usually included in the tupelo family Nyssaceae, but sometimes included (with the tupelos) in the dogwood family Cornaceae. Camptotheca is used to make Irinotecan, Topotecan, 9-Aminocamptothecin, and camptothecin-1 (CPT-1). It also contains trifolin and hyperoside. Camptothecin and these analogs are being investigated to treat a wide variety of cancers, but the compounds are quite toxic, and only topotecan (Hycamtin) and irinotecan HCl (Camptosar) have met with FDA approval; Hycamtin has been approved for ovarian cancer theray, and Camptosar is approved for metastatic colorectal cancers.
Some minor constituents, eight ellagic acids and syringic acid, were isolated from the fruits of Camptotheca acuminata Decne. Containing camptothecine,10-hydroxy-camptothecine, meth- oxycamptothecine, etc.