Shi, J.; Monolikakes, G.; Yeh, C.-H.; Guerrero, C. A.; Shenvi, R. A.;Shigehisa, H.; Baran, P. S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 8014-8027.

This article describes the significance of steroids, in this case cortistatin, and their vital role in humans and science. Cortistatin A as a steroid is effective in controlling angiogensis. Based on its better selective antiproliferation against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) than normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF), Cortistatin A shows that it is effective in inhibiting formation of new vessels from pre-existing vessels without being toxic to cancer cells. Our group examines the final step of synthesizing cortistatin A. In this specific step, molecule 101 reacts with Raney Nickel to produce molecule 11, cortistatin A. This chemical reaction is similar to hydrogenation by reagents H₂ and Pd/C.

 

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