Gimeracil
Gimeracil Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
Gimeracil is an adjunct to antineoplastic therapy, used to increase the concentration and effect of the main active componets within chemotherapy regimens. Approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in March 2011, Gimeracil is available in combination with Oteracil and Tegafur within the commercially available product "Teysuno". The main active ingredient in Teysuno is Tegafur, a pro-drug of Fluorouracil (5-FU), which is a cytotoxic anti-metabolite drug that acts on rapidly dividing cancer cells. By mimicking a class of compounds called "pyrimidines" that are essential components of RNA and DNA, 5-FU is able to insert itself into strands of DNA and RNA, thereby halting the replication process necessary for continued cancer growth.
Gimeracil's main role within Teysuno is to prevent the breakdown of Fluorouracil (5-FU), which helps to maintin high enough concentrations for sustained effect against cancer cells . It functions by reversibly and selectively blocking the enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), which is involved in the degradation of 5-FU . This allows higher concentrations of 5-FU to be achieved with a lower dose of tegafur, thereby also reducing toxic side effects.
| Trade Name | Gimeracil |
| Generic | Gimeracil |
| Gimeracil Other Names | Gimeracil, gimestat, Teysuno, Ts-1 (TN) |
| Type | |
| Formula | C5H4ClNO2 |
| Weight | Average: 145.54 Monoisotopic: 144.9930561 |
| Protein binding | Oteracil, gimeracil, 5-FU, and tegafur are 8.4%, 32.2%, 18.4%, and 52.3% protein bound, respectively . |
| Groups | Approved |
| Therapeutic Class | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Available Country | |
| Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
Gimeracil is a DPD inhibitor used as an adjunct to antineoplastic therapy to increase the systemic concentrations and therapeutic effectiveness of other antineoplastic agents.
Gimeracil is used as an adjunct to antineoplastic therapy. When used within the product Teysuno, gimeracil is indicated for the treatment of adults with advanced gastric (stomach) cancer when given in combination with cisplatin.
Gimeracil is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Advanced Gastric Cancer
How Gimeracil works
Gimeracil's main role within Teysuno is to prevent the breakdown of Fluorouracil (5-FU), which helps to maintin high enough concentrations for sustained effect against cancer cells . It functions by reversibly blocking the enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), which is involved in the degradation of 5-FU .
Food Interaction
- Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water is important to prevent dehydration when taking Teysuno.
- Take on an empty stomach. Take Teysuno at least 1 hour before or after eating.
Volume of Distribution
Although no intravenous data are available for Teysuno in humans, the volume of distribution could be roughly estimated from the apparent volume of distribution and urinary excretion data as 16 l/m2, 17 l/m2, and 23 l/m2 for tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil, respectively .
Elimination Route
Mean 5-FU maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) values were approximately 3-fold higher after Teysuno administration than after administration of tegafur alone, despite a 16-fold lower Teysuno dose (50 mg of tegafur) compared to tegafur alone (800 mg), and are attributed to inhibition of DPD by gimeracil. Maximum plasma uracil concentration was observed at 4 hours, with a return to baseline levels within approximately 48 hours after dosing, indicating the reversibility of the DPD inhibition by gimeracil.
After administration of a single dose of 50 mg Teysuno (expressed as tegafur content), median Tmax for Teysuno components tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil was 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 hours, respectively .
Half Life
Following a single dose of Teysuno, T1/2 values ranged from 6.7 to 11.3 hours for tegafur, from 3.1 to 4.1 hours for gimeracil, and from 1.8 to 9.5 hours for oteracil .
Elimination Route
Following a single dose of Teysuno, approximately 3.8% to 4.2% of administered tegafur, 65% to 72% of administered gimeracil, and 3.5% to 3.9% of administered oteracil were excreted unchanged in the urine .
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