Esters of phorbol, originally found in croton oil (from Croton tiglium, of the family Euphorbiaceae). A number of phorbol esters possess activity as tumour promoters and activate the mechanisms associated with cell growth. Some of these are used in experiments as activators of protein kinase C.
| Member | Definition | Role |
|---|
| 12-deoxyphorbol 13-acetate | | prostratin |
| croton factor f1 | A phorbol ester that consists of 16-hydroxyphorbol bearing O-hexadecanoyl (palmitoyl) and O-decanoyl substituents at position 12 and 13 respectively. | 16-hydroxyphorbol 13-decanoate 12-palmitate |
| ebc-46 | A diterpenoid natural product isolated from the kernels of the Australian blushwood tree (Fontainea picrosperma). It is approved as a veterinary pharmaceutical for the treatment of non-metastatic and non-resectable canine mast cell tumours. | tigilanol tiglate |
| pedilstatin | A phorbol ester that is 4-deoxyphorbol in which the hydroxy groups at positions 12 and 13 have been replaced by octa-2,4-dienoyloxy and acetyloxy groups respectively. | pedilstatin |
| phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate | | phorbol 12,13-dibutanoate |
| phorbol 13-monoacetate | | phorbol 13-acetate |
| phorbol-12,13-didecanoate, (1ar-(1aalpha,1bbeta,4aalpha,7aalpha,7balpha,8alpha,9beta,9aalpha))-isomer | A phorbol ester that is phorbol in which the hydroxy groups at the cyclopropane ring juction (position 13) and the adjacent carbon (position 12) have been converted to the corresponding decanoate esters. A Trpv4-specific ligand. | 4alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate |
| sapintoxin d | A phorbol ester consisting of phorbol that is acylated at positions 12 and 13 by 2-(methylamino)benzoyl and acetyl groups respectively. | sapintoxin D |
| tetradecanoylphorbol acetate | A phorbol ester that is phorbol in which the hydroxy groups at the cyclopropane ring juction (position 13) and the adjacent carbon (position 12) have been converted into the corresponding acetate and myristate esters. It is a major active constituent of the seed oil of Croton tiglium. It has been used as a tumour promoting agent for skin carcinogenesis in rodents and is associated with increased cell proliferation of malignant cells. However its function is controversial since a decrease in cell proliferation has also been observed in several cancer cell types. | phorbol 13-acetate 12-myristate |