The Effects of Two Alkaloids Derived from Vinca Rosea on the Malignant Cells of Hodgkin's Disease, Lymphosarcoma and Acute Leukemia in Vivo

Hodgkin’s disease, lymphosarcoma, and acute leukemia have been studiedafter treatment with the Vinca rosea alkaloids (vinblastine and vincristine), inorder to demonstrate and evaluate the mitosis-arresting effects of the twodrugs on the malignant cells. Histologic sections, lymph node and bone marrow aspirations were performed immediately before and 24 hours after theintravenous administration of the drugs in 15 cases of Hodgkin’s disease, 12 oflymphoblastic lymphosarcoma, and 12 of acute leukemia, besides other miscellaneous cases.

In Hodgkin’s disease aspirates and sections showed a clear-cut metaphasearrest in the post-VLB specimens, chiefly affecting the pre-Sternberg or Hodgkin cells. This effect, besides corroborating the fundamentally stathmokineticmechanism of VLB in Hodgkin’s disease, was considered an additional factorin confirming the widely proposed conception that these cells represent thefundamentally proliferating and malignant tissue of this disease.

In the acute leukemias and lymphoblastosarcomas, cytomorphologic andquantitative studies demonstrated that the oncolytic effects correlated wellwith the magnitude of metaphasic blockade. It is postulated that only activelyproliferating cells—the so-called "growth fraction"—are the target for thesealkaloids.

Submitted on January 30, 1966 Accepted on June 26, 1966