Current status of podophyllotoxin for the treatment of genital warts.

An evolutionary process that began 50 years ago with a crude plant resin (podophyllum) has currently developed to the point where a fine chemical podophyllotoxin can be safely and effectively applied by patients for the treatment of external genital warts. In this brief review, the fundamental chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of podophyllotoxin will be reviewed, along with the sequence of clinical studies that resulted in the development of patient applied podophyllotoxin.