Camptotheca
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(Redirected from Happy tree)
| Happy tree | |
|---|---|
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| Cancer Tree, Camptotheca acuminata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Cornales |
| Family: | Cornaceae (Nyssaceae) |
| Genus: | Camptotheca Decne. |
| Species | |
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Camptotheca acuminata |
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This article's factual accuracy is disputed. Please help to ensure that disputed facts are reliably sourced. See the relevant discussion on the talk page. (January 2010) |
The Happy Tree, Cancer Tree, or Tree of Life (Camptotheca) is a genus of medium-sized deciduous trees growing to 20 m tall, native to southern China and Tibet. 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.[1]
There are two species:
- Camptotheca acuminata Decne.
- Camptotheca lowreyana S.Y.Li
The name 'happy tree' is a direct translation of the Chinese name xi shu (Simplified Chinese:喜树). An extract from the tree (camptothecin) is used as an anti-cancer treatment.
[edit] References
- ^ Antifungal Activity of Camptothecin, Trifolin, and Hyperoside Isolated from Camptotheca acuminata. Shiyou Li, Zhizhen Zhang, Abigail Cain, Bo Wang, Melissa Long, and Josephine Taylor, J. Agric. Food Chem., 2005, 53 (1), pages 32–37, doi:10.1021/jf0484780
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