Alkaloids represent one of the largest groups of natural products. In general, alkaloids serve as defense chemicals against herbivores and to a lesser degree against bacteria, fungi, and viruses or provide a means of interaction with other plants. Camptothecin (CPT) is a monoterpenoid indole alkaloid originally isolated from Camptotheca acuminata, a deciduous tree, and native to south China, that has gained great attention for its significant antitumor activities in experimental studies. CPT is present in a...