The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, which is blocked by cyclopamine , plays a key role in morphogenesis and has potential applications in the treatment of cancer. Veratramine, a teratogenic steroidal alkaloid isolated from the corn lily (Veratrum sp.), is an analog of cyclopamine that can inhibit the Hh signaling-dependent proliferation of NIH/3T3 cells at 8 μM. Additionally, veratramine has anti-thrombotic activity as it dose dependently inhibits platelet aggregation in rabbits ex vivo. While it may be most useful as a signal transduction inhibitor for treating tumors, veratramine also induces serotonin release and inhibits its re-uptake in the CNS.
