Ikarugamycin is a macrocyclic antibiotic first isolated from Streptomyces sp. that demonstrates potent antiprotozoal activity. It exhibits cytotoxic effects in cancer cell lines, inhibiting cell proliferation (IC50 = 221.3 nM in HL-60 cells) through genotoxicity and by inducing apoptosis and activation of caspases. It also was shown to significantly inhibit oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced accumulation of cholesteryl esters in macrophages at 1-4 μM. Additionally, ikarugamycin is used to inhibit clathrin-coated pit-mediated endocytosis.
