illudane

noun

1. A toxic spirocyclic sesquiterpenoids produced by various bracken ferns and by fungi of the phylum Basidiomycota.

   “As previously reported illudanes are antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor agents but very toxic.”

   “Of major interest is the fact that ptaquiloside in ruminants is transported to the udder and from there to milk, containing as much as 8% of the illudane present in the feed.”

   “Most illudanes exhibit cytotoxic effects toward many tumor cell lines and some are regarded as having a high potential as anticancer drug lead compounds.”