Pharmaceutical chemistry-II

ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS
Definition: Antineoplastic agents, also known as cytotoxic agents are used in the treatment of
malignant diseases when surgery or radiotherapy is not possible or has proved ineffective, in
other words, antineoplastic agents are used in the treatment of cancer.
 The drugs useful in the treatment of cancer are called Antineoplastic agents.
 Neoplasm [Neo‐New and Plasm‐ Form] is the medical term for cancer or tumour which
means a relatively autonomous growth of tissue.
 Cancerous tumour is a malignant tumour of potentially dangerous nature.
 Theanticancer drugs either kill cancer or modify their growth.
 Cancer treatment:
 chemotherapy
 radiotherapy
 immunotherapy
 surgery .

Classification:
1. Alkylating Agents.
a) Nitrogen mustard drugs: Mustine, Chormabucil, cyclophosphamide
b) Aziridines: Thiotepa

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 Pharmaceutical chemistry-II

c) Alkyl sulphonate: Busulphan

d) Nitrosourea group compound: Lomustine
2.Antimetabolites: Methotrexate, Mercaptopurine, Azathioprine, Fluorouracil

3.Antibiotics: Actinomycin, Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin

4.Plant Products: Sulphates of vinblastin and vincristine.

5.Hormones and related drugs: Glucocorticoids, Tamoxifen

6.Miscellaneous agents: Hydroxyurea, cisplatin

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