Plants are undeniably one of nature’s most promising sources of new medicines, with monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) being a great example. Some intricate compounds are built from multiple-linked chemical units that form highly complex three-dimensional structures. Because of their size and shape, scientists believe such oligomeric MIAs may be able to interfere with specific protein–protein interactions inside cells—a biological target that conventional small-molecule drugs often struggle to reach.

This unusual capability could make MIAs uniquely suited to combat various diseases. Such is the case for bisleuconothine A, an MIA isolated from plant bark in 2010 that has shown strong activity against breast cancer and lung cancer.

Despite their therapeutic potential, these compounds are extremely difficult to produce synthetically in the laboratory. Their structures contain multiple interconnected rings and several precisely arranged stereocenters, meaning their atoms must be assembled in the correct three-dimensional orientation to preserve their biological activity. Because of this, drug development research involving oligomeric MIAs remains limited.