Phorbol is a natural, plant-derived organic compound. It is a member of the tigliane family of diterpenes. Phorbol was first isolated in 1934 as the hydrolysis product of croton oil, which is derived from the seeds of the purging croton, Croton tiglium.[2][3][4][5][6] The structure of phorbol was determined in 1967.[7][8] It is very soluble in most polar organic solvents, as well as in water
Various esters of phorbol have important biological properties, the most notable of which is the capacity to act as tumor promoters through activation of protein kinase C.[9] They mimic diacylglycerols, glycerol derivatives in which two hydroxyl groups have reacted with fatty acids to form esters. The most common phorbol ester is 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), also called phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), which is used as a biomedical research tool in models of carcinogenesis. PMA, together with ionomycin, can also be used to stimulate T-cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine production, and is used in protocols for intracellular staining of these cytokines.
Solubility:Soluble in DMSO, ethanol and water
Storage and Stability:May be stored at RT for short-term only. Long-term storage is recommended at -20°C. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial prior to removing the cap.
