Bruceantin is a compound isolated from Brucea antidysenteriea, a plant used in Ethiopia as an anticancer treatment. The primary action of Bruceantin appears to be an inhibition of protein synthesis which takes place at the ribosomal level. Bruceantin induced marked decreases of c-myc mRNA and protein expression in all cell lines. Bruceantin-induced c-myc downregulation might trigger cell death mechanisms preferentially in those cell lines with wild-type p53 protein expression. Bruceantin was evaluated in three separate phase I clinical trials in patients with various types of solid tumors. Hypotension, nausea, and vomiting were common side effects at higher doses, but hematologic toxicity was moderate to insignificant and manifested mainly as thrombocytopenia. Bruceantin was then tested in two separate phase II trials including adult patients with metastatic breast cancer and malignant melanoma. No objective tumor regressions were observed, and clinical trials were terminated.