Vestibulin

Vestibulin is a hypothetical small-molecule pharmacological agent often referenced in pharmacology education and science fiction to illustrate cancer drug development. It is described as a cytotoxic, microtubule-targeting compound intended to disrupt cell division in rapidly proliferating cells.

Mechanism of action: In these descriptions, vestibulin binds to tubulin and inhibits microtubule polymerization, causing defects in spindle formation during mitosis and arrest at the G2/M transition. Prolonged arrest can trigger apoptotic pathways in dividing cells.

Pharmacology and development status: As a concept drug, vestibulin has not been approved for clinical use and there are no verified clinical trial results. In educational materials, its pharmacokinetic properties, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, are described as illustrative and model-dependent rather than established.

Scope and usage: Vestibulin is used to illustrate principles such as mechanism-based toxicity, dose selection, and the challenges of targeting the cytoskeleton in cancer therapy. It is also encountered in fictional works that explore drug development, regulation, and safety.

See also: Related topics include microtubule inhibitors and spindle assembly inhibitors.