what class of drug is cytarabine

Precautions

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com on Jul 25, 2019 – Written by Cerner Multum. Cytarabine is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. Cytarabine is used to treat certain types of leukemia (blood cancers). Cytarabine is also used to treat leukemia associated with meningitis.

What is cytarabine used for?

(NCI04) Cytarabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside in which cytosine is attached to D-arabinofuranose via a beta-N (1)-glycosidic bond. Used mainly in the treatment of leukaemia, especially acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia, cytarabine is an antimetabolite antineoplastic agent that inhibits the synthesis of DNA.

What is the structure of cytarabine?

Cytarabine side effects. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Tell your caregivers at once if you have: fever, body aches, chest pain;

What are the side effects of cytarabine?

Cytarabine is also available in a different form, combined with Daunorubicin Hydrochloride. For more information see the Drug Information Summary for Daunorubicin Hydrochloride and Cytarabine Liposome.

Is cytarabine the same as daunorubicin?

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What kind of chemo is cytarabine?

Drug type: Cytarabine is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. This medication is classified as an "antimetabolite." (For more detail, see "How cytarabine works" section below).

Is cytarabine an immunosuppressant?

Although cytarabine (cytosine arabinoside, ara-cytidine, Cytosar) is a potent immunosuppressant, antiviral and antitumor agent in animals and man, maximum inhibitory effects require the use of complex injection schedules.

What is the mechanism of action of cytarabine?

Mechanism of Action Cytarabine is a pyrimidine analog and is also known as arabinosylcytosine (ARA-C). It is converted into the triphosphate form within the cell and competes with cytidine to incorporate itself in the DNA. The sugar moiety of cytarabine hinders the rotation of the molecule within the DNA.

Is cytarabine a steroid?

If the symptoms of the syndrome are deemed treatable, corticosteroids should be contemplated as well as continuation of therapy with cytarabine....The Cytarabine (Ara-C) Syndrome.Less Frequent Adverse ReactionsSepsisSore throatConjunctivitis (may occur with rash)Urinary retentionPericarditisAllergic edema8 more rows

What class is methotrexate?

Methotrexate is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. Methotrexate treats cancer by slowing the growth of cancer cells.

What are the side effects of cytarabine?

Cytarabine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:nausea.vomiting.diarrhea.stomach pain.loss of appetite.sores in the mouth and throat.hair loss.muscle or joint pain.More items...•

Is cytarabine a chemotherapy?

Cytarabine is a type of chemotherapy drug and is also known by its brand name, Ara C. It is a treatment for: acute leukaemias (cancers of the blood)

How toxic is cytarabine?

Adverse effects from high-dose cytarabine (2-3 g/m2) include severe and occasionally fatal CNS, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal or pulmonary toxicity, as well as corneal toxicity or conjunctivitis (may be hemorrhagic). Ocular toxicity is minimized by prophylactic use of ophthalmic corticosteroids.

Which cell cycle is most affected by cytarabine?

Its mode of action is due to its rapid conversion into cytosine arabinoside triphosphate, which damages DNA when the cell cycle holds in the S phase (synthesis of DNA). Rapidly dividing cells, which require DNA replication for mitosis, are therefore most affected.

What is cytarabine made from?

Cytarabine (Cytosar) is a compound isolated from a sea sponge. It has also been referred to as cytosine arabinoside and Ara-C. Cytarabine is metabolized to an active drug that inhibits DNA synthesis. Cytarabine is an anti-metabolite synthetic nucleoside analogue.

Does cytarabine cross the blood brain barrier?

Cytarabine crosses the blood brain barrier to a limited extent and is thought to cross the placental barrier. It is not known if cytarabine is distributed into milk.

Can cytarabine cause seizures?

The high IV cytarabine doses now commonly used can cause seizures, cerebral dysfunction, or an acute cerebellar syndrome with an incidence up to 14%.

Do you lose your hair with cytarabine?

It is also FDA approved for use with other drugs to treat acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia. This medicine may cause a temporary loss of hair in some people. After treatment with cytarabine has ended, normal hair growth should return.

Is cytarabine a chemotherapy?

Cytarabine is a type of chemotherapy drug and is also known by its brand name, Ara C. It is a treatment for: acute leukaemias (cancers of the blood)

Is cytarabine a dependent count?

Because cytarabine is a bone marrow suppressant, anaemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, megaloblastosis and reduced reticulocytes can be expected as a result of its administration. The severity of these reactions are dose and schedule dependent.

What unique adverse effects are associated with cytarabine and idarubicin?

Side EffectsHair loss (nearly all patients will lose their hair temporarily)Mouth ulcers [mucositis] (15%)Neutropenic fever (8 - 29%)Nausea or vomiting (exact % is unknown)Decreased appetite (exact % is unknown)Bleeding (1%)

What is the generic name for Cytarabine?

Cytarabine. (sye-TARE-a-been) Trade names: Cytosar-U®. Other names: Ara-C, Arabinosylcytosine. Cytarabine is the generic name for the trade name drug Cytosar-U®. In some cases, health care professionals may use the name Ara-C or arabinosylcytosine when referring to the generic drug name cytarabine. Drug type: Cytarabine is an anti-cancer ...

What are the side effects of Cytarabine?

These are less common side effects (occurring in about 10-29%) for patients receiving cytarabine: Diarrhea. Loss of appetite. Skin rash, redness and itching. Flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, generalized aches and pains) within the first few days of treatment.

What is the difference between cytotarabine and chemotherapy?

Different drugs may affect different parts of the body. Cytarabine belongs to the category of chemotherapy called antimetabolites. Antimetabolites are very similar to normal substances within the cell. When the cells incorporate these substances into the cellular metabolism, they are unable to divide.

What is cytotarabine used for?

What Cytarabine Is Used For: Cytarabine is used to treat different forms of leukemia, including acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia (AML and CML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). It is also used to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma, as well as meningeal leukemia and other types of lymphoma ...

How long does neurotoxicity last?

Onset is usually 5 days after treatment and may last up to 1 week. More often these toxicities are mild and reversible. (see central neurotoxicity ). Not all side effects are listed above. Side effects that are very rare -- occurring in less than 10 percent of patients -- are not listed here.

Does Cytarabine cause headaches?

Cytarabine side effects may be quite manageable. There are many options to help minimize or prevent the side effects of cytarabine. The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking cytarabine: Headache. Low blood counts.

Is Cytarabine a pill?

There is no pill form of cytarabine. The amount of cytarabine that you will receive depends on many factors, your height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition you have. Your doctor will determine your exact dosage and schedule.

What is cytarabine used for?

Cytarabine is mainly used in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia, acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) and in lymphomas, where it is the backbone of induction chemotherapy . Cytarabine also possesses antiviral activity, and it has been used for the treatment of generalised herpesvirus infection. However, cytarabine is not very selective in this ...

How is cytarabine transported?

Cytarabine is transported into the cell primarily by hENT-1. It is then monophosphorylated by deoxycytidine kinase and eventually cytarabine-5´-triphosphate, which is the active metabolite being incorporated into DNA during DNA synthesis. Several mechanisms of resistance have been reported.

What is the mechanism of action of cytosine arabinoside?

Mechanism of action. Cytosine arabinoside combines a cytosine base with an arabinose sugar. It is an antimetabolic agent with the chemical name of 1β-arabinofuranosylcytosine. Certain sponges, where it was originally found, use arabinoside sugars to form a different compound (not part of DNA).

What is cytosine arabinoside used for?

Cytarabine, also known as cytosine arabinoside ( ara-C ), is a chemotherapy medication used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is given by injection into a vein, under the skin, or into the cerebrospinal fluid.

Which cancer drug inhibits DNA replication?

Rapidly dividing cells, which require DNA replication for mitosis, are therefore most affected. Cytosine arabinoside also inhibits both DNA and RNA polymerases and nucleotide reductase enzymes needed for DNA synthesis. Cytarabine is the first of a series of cancer drugs that altered the sugar component of nucleosides.

Is Cytarabine toxic?

One of the unique toxicities of cytarabine is cerebellar toxicity when given in high doses, which may lead to ataxia. Cytarabine may cause granulocytopenia and other impaired body defenses, which may lead to infection, and thrombocytopenia, which may lead to hemorrhage .

Is cytarabine 5 a substrate for samhd1?

Cytarabine-5´-triphosphate is a substrate for SAMHD1. Furthermore, SAMHD1 has been shown to limit the efficacy of cytarabine efficacy in patients. When used as an antiviral, cytarabine-5´-triphosphate functions by inhibiting viral DNA synthesis.

What is the toxic effect of Cytarabine?

The main toxic effect of Cytarabine is bone marrow suppression with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia.

What is cytotarabine metabolized by?

Cytarabine is metabolized by deoxycytidine kinase and other nucleotide kinases to the nucleotide triphosphate, an effective inhibitor of DNA polymerase; it is inactivated by a pyrimidine nucleoside deaminase, which converts it to the non-toxic uracil derivative. It appears that the balance of kinase and deaminase levels may be an important factor in determining sensitivity or resistance of the cell to Cytarabine.

How long does it take for cytotarabine to reach peak plasma levels?

After subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of Cytarabine labeled with tritium, peak-plasma levels of radioactivity are achieved about 20 to 60 minutes after injection and are considerably lower than those after intravenous administration.

Is Cytarabine an anti-cancer drug?

Cytarabine Injection in combination with other approved anti-cancer drugs is indicated for remission induction in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia of adults and pediatric patients. It has also been found useful in the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia and the blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia.

Is Cytarabine low in blood?

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of Cytarabine are low in comparison to plasma levels after single intravenous injection. However, in one patient in whom cerebrospinal fluid levels are examined after 2 hours of constant intravenous infusion, levels approached 40 percent of the steady state plasma level.

Can Cytarabine be used for bacterial infections?

Viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, or saprophytic infections, in any location in the body may be associated with the use of Cytarabine alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive agents following immunosuppressant doses that affect cellular or humoral immunity. These infections may be mild, but can be severe and at times fatal.

Can cytarabine harm a pregnant woman?

Cytarabine causes abnormal cerebellar development in the neonatal hamster and is teratogenic to the rat fetus. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.

How is cytarabine injected?

Cytarabine comes as a powder to mixed with liquid to be injected intravenously (into a vein), subcutaneously (under the skin), or intrathecally (into the fluid-filled space of the spinal canal) by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility. Your doctor will tell you how often you will receive cytarabine.

What is cytotarabine used for?

Cytarabine is also sometimes used to treat certain types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (a type of cancer that begins in a type of white blood cells that normally fights infection). Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.

What to do before cytarabine injection?

Before receiving cytarabine injection, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cytarabine or any of the ingredients in cytarabine injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, ...

What medications interact with Cytarabine?

Be sure to mention any of the following: digoxin (Lanoxin), flucytosine (Ancobon), or gentamicin. Other medications may also interact with cytarabine, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.

Can cytotarabine be used with other chemo?

Cytarabine is used alone or with other chemotherapy drugs to treat certain types of leukemia (cancer of the white blood cells), including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Cytarabine is also used alone or with other chemotherapy drugs to treat meningeal leukemia ...

Can you get pregnant while taking Cytarabine?

tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. You should not become pregnant while you are receiving cytarabine injection. If you become pregnant while receiving cytarabine, call your doctor. Cytarabine may harm the fetus.

Can you give a cytorabine injection for cancer?

Expand Section. Cytarabine injection must be given under the supervision of a doctor who is experienced in giving chemotherapy medications for cancer. Cytarbine can cause a severe decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. This may cause certain symptoms and may increase the risk that you will develop a serious infection or bleeding.

What is cytotarabine used for?

Cytarabine may also be used to treat: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in blastic phase. Cytarabine is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.

Why are drugs studied?

Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.

Is cytorane used for cancer?

Use in Cancer. Cytarabine is approved to be used with other drugs to treat: Acute non-lymphocytic leukemia in adults and children. Cytarabine is also approved to prevent and treat: Meningeal leukemia ( leukemia that has spread to the meninges ). It is given as intrathecal therapy.

How does cytarabine work?

Cytarabine acts through direct DNA damage and incorporation into DNA. Cytarabine is cytotoxic to a wide variety of proliferating mammalian cells in culture. It exhibits cell phase specificity, primarily killing cells undergoing DNA synthesis (S-phase) and under certain conditions blocking the progression of cells from the G1 phase to the S-phase. Although the mechanism of action is not completely understood, it appears that cytarabine acts through the inhibition of DNA polymerase. A limited, but significant, incorporation of cytarabine into both DNA and RNA has also been reported.

Where is cytarabine metabolized?

Hepatic. Cytarabine is rapidly and extensively metabolized mainly in the liver but also in kidneys, GI mucosa, granulocytes, and to a lesser extent in other tissues by the enzyme cytidine deaminase, producing the inactive metabolite 1-ß-d-arabinofuranosyluracil ( ara-U, uracil arabinoside ).

How much cytarabine is in depocyt?

DepoCyt is available in 5 mL, ready-to-use, single-use vials containing 50 mg of cytarabine. DepoCyt is formulated as a sterile, nonpyrogenic, white to off-white suspension of cytarabine in Sodium Chloride 0.9% w/v in Water for Injection. DepoCyt is preservative-free. Cytarabine, the active ingredient, is present at a concentration of 10 mg/mL and is encapsulated in the particles. Inactive ingredients at their respective approximate concentrations are cholesterol, 4.1 mg/mL; triolein, 1.2 mg/mL; dioleoylphosphatidylcholine ( DOPC ), 5.7 mg/mL; and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol ( DPPG ), 1.0 mg/mL. The pH of the product falls within the range from 5.5 to 8.5. /Cytarabine liposome injection/

How long does it take for cytarabine to go away?

10 minutes. After rapid IV injection of cytarabine, plasma drug concentrations appear to decline in a biphasic manner with a half-life of about 10 minutes in the initial phase and about 1-3 hours in the terminal phase. Cytarabine reportedly undergoes triphasic elimination in some patients.

How long does cytarabine stay stable?

Following reconstitution of the sterile powder with bacteriostatic water for injection containing 0.945% benzyl alcohol, solutions containing 20, 50, or 100 mg of cytarabine per mL have a pH of about 5 and are stable for 48 hours at 20-25 °C; solutions that develop a slight haze should not be used.

What is cytarabine 2021?

2021-07-10. Create. 2005-06-24. Cytarabine is an antimetabolite analogue of cytidine with a modified sugar moiety ( arabinose instead of ribose ). Cytarabine is converted to the triphosphate form within the cell and then competes with cytidine for incorporation into DNA.

Is cytosine an analogue of cytosine?

Cytarabine is a cytosine analogue and antineoplastic agent used largely in the therapy of acute leukemia. Cytarabine is associated with a low rate of transient serum enzyme and bilirubin elevations during therapy, but has only rarely been implicated in cases of clinically apparent acute liver injury with jaundice.

How much cytarabine is in a ml?

Cytarabine Injection, an antineoplastic, is a sterile solution of cytarabine for intravenous, intrathecal or subcutaneous administration. Each mL contains 100 mg cytarabine USP, in 2 g/20 mL (100 mg/mL) single dose vial and the following inactive ingredients: water for injection q.s.

What percentage of cytarabine is in water?

These studies showed that when Cytarabine Injection was added to Water for Injection, 5% Dextrose in Water or Sodium Chloride Injection, 94 to 96 percent of the cytarabine was present after 192 hours storage at room temperature.

How often is cyclabine given?

The frequency of administration varied from once a day for 4 days to once every 4 days.

What is cytosar used for?

Cytarabine for Injection (Brand Names: Cytosar-U, Tarabine PFS) is a cancer medication used to treat certain types of leukemia (blood cancers). Cytarabine is also used to treat leukemia associated with meningitis. Cytarabine is available in generic form.

What is cytotarabine metabolized by?

Cytarabine is metabolized by deoxycytidine kinase and other nucleotide kinases to the nucleotide triphosphate, an effective inhibitor of DNA polymerase; it is inactivated by a pyrimidine nucleoside deaminase, which converts it to the non-toxic uracil derivative. It appears that the balance of kinase and deaminase levels may be an important factor in determining sensitivity or resistance of the cell to cytarabine.

Is cytarabine oral or intravenous?

The schedule and method of administration varies with the program of therapy to be used. Cytarabine Injection may be given by intravenous infusion or injection, subcutaneously, or intrathecally (preservative free preparation only).

Can you inject cytarabine in cancer patients?

Only physicians experienced in cancer chemotherapy should use Cytara bine Injection. For induction therapy patients should be treated in a facility with laboratory and supportive resources sufficient to monitor drug tolerance and protect and maintain a patient compromised by drug toxicity. The main toxic effect of cytarabine injection is bone marrow ...

What is cytotarabine used for?

Cytarabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue used to treat acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia, and the blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia. A pyrimidine nucleoside analog that is used mainly in the treatment of leukemia, especially acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia.

What is the risk of bleeding when Sodium Citrate is combined with Cytarabine?

The risk or severity of bleeding can be increased when Sodium citrate is combined with Cytarabine. Somatotropin. The risk or severity of myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, and myoglobinuria can be increased when Somatotropin is combined with Cytarabine. Sorafenib.

Description and Brand Names

Cytarabine belongs to the group of medicines called antimetabolites. It is used to treat some kinds of cancers of the blood. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.

Descriptions

Cytarabine belongs to the group of medicines called antimetabolites. It is used to treat some kinds of cancers of the blood. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.

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