CAS: 16730-11-3

6-Methoxy-L-tryptophan is a synthetic indole alkaloid. It is used in cancer research and has been shown to inhibit the growth of certain types of human cancer cells, including leukemia and lymphoma. 6-Methoxy-L-tryptophan has been found to have a high regiospecificity for inhibition. The pharmacokinetics of this drug have been studied in rats, with no significant difference seen between males and females or between large and small animals. 6-Methoxy-L-tryptophan can be synthesized from tryptamine by reacting it with trifluoroacetic acid followed by heating it in a vacuum at 180°C for 20 minutes. This reaction yields the corresponding 6-methoxy derivative as an oily liquid that can be purified by distillation. 6-Methoxy tryptophan is structurally analogous to the natural product verruculogen, which was discovered

(S)-2-amino-3-(6-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)propanoic acid