Podophyllotoxin is an aryltetralin-type lignan isolated from species of Podophyllum. Two most common sources are the rhizomes of Podophyllum peltatum (American mayapple) and Sinopodophyllum hexandrum Royle (Barberry family).

These perennial herbs are distributed widely across the Himalayan region and Western China. Plants with high podophyllotoxin or podophyllotoxin-analogues’ content have been extensively used in traditional medicine since a long time in different cultures.

Podophyllotoxin is the main cytotoxic ingredient of podophyllin, a resin used for many years for topical treatment of warts. Podophyllotoxin exhibit pronounced biological activity mainly as strong antiviral agents and as antineoplastic drugs. The podophyllotoxin derivatives etoposide, etopophos (etoposide phosphate), and teniposide are thus successfully utilized in the treatment of a variety of malignant conditions. The podophyllotoxin extract has been documented for its use as a laxative, and as a remedy for various medical complications such as gonorrhea, tuberculosis, menstrual disorders, psoriasis, dropsy, cough, syphilis and venereal warts.