Azacytidine
Azacytidine Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
A pyrimidine nucleoside analogue that inhibits DNA methyltransferase, impairing DNA methylation. It is also an antimetabolite of cytidine, incorporated primarily into RNA. Azacytidine has been used as an antineoplastic agent.
Azacytidine is believed to exert its antineoplastic effects by causing hypomethylation of DNA and direct cytotoxicity on abnormal hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. The concentration of azacitidine required for maximum inhibition of DNA methylation in vitro does not cause major suppression of DNA synthesis. Hypomethylation may restore normal function to genes that are critical for differentiation and proliferation. The cytotoxic effects of azacitidine cause the death of rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells that are no longer responsive to normal growth control mechanisms. Non-proliferating cells are relatively insensitive to azacitidine. Upon uptake into cells, azacitidine is phosphorylated to 5-azacytidine monophosphate by uridine-cytidine kinase, then to diphosphate by pyrimidine monophosphate kinases and triphosphate by diphosphate kinases. 5-Azacytidine triphosphate is incorporated into RNA, leading to the disruption of nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA metabolism and inhibition of protein synthesis. 5-Azacytidine diphosphate is reduced to 5-aza-deoxycytidine diphosphate by ribonucleotide reductase. The resultant metabolite is phosphorylated to 5-azadeoxycitidine triphosphate by nucleoside diphosphate kinases. 5-azadeoxycitidine triphosphate is then incoporated into DNA, leading to inhibition of DNA synthesis. Azacytidine is most toxic during the S-phase of the cell cycle.
Trade Name | Azacytidine |
Availability | Prescription only |
Generic | Azacitidine |
Azacitidine Other Names | Azacitidina, Azacitidine, Azacitidinum, Azacytidine |
Related Drugs | Venclexta, vincristine, venetoclax, cytarabine, daunorubicin, idarubicin, Vidaza, Inqovi, decitabine, Dacogen |
Type | |
Formula | C8H12N4O5 |
Weight | Average: 244.2047 Monoisotopic: 244.080769514 |
Groups | Approved, Investigational |
Therapeutic Class | |
Manufacturer | |
Available Country | |
Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
Azacytidine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue used to treat certain subtypes of myelodysplastic syndrome.
For treatment of patients with the following French-American-British myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes: refractory anemia or refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (if accompanied by neutropenia or thrombocytopenia or requiring transfusions), refractory anemia with excess blasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation (now classified as acute myelogenous leukemia with multilineage dysplasia), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.
Azacytidine is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, Refractory Anemia, Refractory Anemia With Excess Blasts in Transformation, Refractory Anemia With Ringed Sideroblasts, Refractory anaemia with an excess of blasts
How Azacytidine works
Azacytidine (5-azacytidine) is a chemical analogue of the cytosine nucleoside used in DNA and RNA. Azacytidine may induce antineoplastic activity by inhibition of DNA methyltransferase at low doses and cytotoxicity through incorporation into RNA and DNA at high doses. Covalent binding to DNA methyltransferase results in hypomethylation of DNA and prevents DNA synthesis. As azacitidine is a ribonucleoside, it incoporates into RNA to a larger extent than into DNA. The incorporation into RNA leads to the dissembly of polyribosomes, defective methylation and acceptor function of transfer RNA, and inhibition of the production of protein, resulting in cell death.
Toxicity
One case of overdose with azacitidine was reported during clinical trials. A patient experienced diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting after receiving a single IV dose of approximately 290 mg/m2, almost 4 times the recommended starting dose.
Food Interaction
No interactions found.Azacytidine Drug Interaction
Unknown: charcoal, charcoal, diphenhydramine, diphenhydramine, sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim, meperidine, meperidine, sodium iodide, sodium iodide, acetaminophen, acetaminophen, venetoclax, venetoclax, cyanocobalamin, cyanocobalamin, cholecalciferol, cholecalciferol, ondansetron, ondansetron
Azacytidine Disease Interaction
Major: hepatic tumorsModerate: hepatic impairment, renal impairment, anemia
Volume of Distribution
- 76 ± 26 L
Elimination Route
Azacytidine is rapidly absorbed after subcutaneous administration. The bioavailability of subcutaneous azacitidine relative to IV azacitidine is approximately 89%, based on area under the curve.
Half Life
Mean elimination half-life is approximately 4 hours.
Clearance
- 167 +/- 49 L/h
Elimination Route
Following IV administration of radioactive azacitidine to 5 cancer patients, the cumulative urinary excretion was 85% of the radioactive dose. Fecal excretion accounted for <1% of administered radioactivity over three days. Mean excretion of radioactivity in urine following SC administration of 14C-azacitidine was 50%.
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