Which of the following is a common plant alkaloid used in chemotherapy?

Etoposide is a well-known plant alkaloid used in chemotherapy, derived from the mayapple plant (Podophyllum peltatum). It functions as a topoisomerase II inhibitor, disrupting DNA synthesis in cancer cells, which is crucial for their growth and reproduction. Etoposide is commonly utilized in the treatment of various malignancies, including testicular cancer, lung cancer, and some types of leukemia and lymphoma. Its effectiveness and relatively specific action make it a staple in oncological treatment regimens.

In contrast, the other options listed represent different classes of chemotherapy agents. Cisplatin is a platinum-based drug that acts by cross-linking DNA, leading to cell death, but it is not a plant alkaloid. Fluorouracil is an antimetabolite that mimics nucleotides, disrupting DNA and RNA synthesis, while Treosulfan is a prodrug used mainly as an alkylating agent, especially in hematological cancers. These differences highlight the unique characteristics of etoposide as a plant alkaloid specifically leveraged in chemotherapy.