Sulciman AI-KhaliI and Brian A. Marpics
Medical Laboratory Sciences Department
An Najah N. University and Chemistry Department,
University of Technology, Loughborough, England.

Abstract
In the search for anti tumor activity large numbers of amethylene -y-butyro-lactones have been tested and some of these include; Eapachiorim, Eapacunin, helanalin, vemomenin, Elephantopin and vernolepin, all these are of plant origin and have been tested and found to have some cytotoxic activity.
However, It has been suggested that the chemical combination of u-methylene lactones with a steroidal or hormonal carriers moiety could provide a mean of obtaining chemotheraputic agents which might be tumor site specific for breast or prostatic cancer. A number of biologically active steioidal a - itiethylene lactones and their structural activities will be discussed.