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Metronidazole (Flagyl): Characterization As a Cytotoxic Drug Specific for Hypoxic Tumour Cells

Overview
Journal Br J Cancer
Specialty Oncology
Date 1976 May 1
PMID 1276030
Citations 18
Authors
J L Foster
P J Conroy
A J Searle
R L Willson
Affiliations
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Abstract

The cytocidal properties of metronidazole against hypoxic mammalian cells are described. This chemotherapeutic action has been shown to be dependent on drug concentration and duration of exposure. The x-ray TCD50 for a murine anaplastic carcinoma was reduced from 6081 rad to 4643 rad when animals were given metronidazole orally for 36 h before radiation treatment. The effect is attributed to the direct killing of hypoxic tumour cells by a mechanism analogous to that proposed for the action of the drug on anaerobic micro-organisms. It is concluded that further work with metronidazole as a cytotoxin specific for hypoxic cells is warranted, particularly in view of the reported lack of toxicity associated with the preliminary clinical use of the drug as a radiosensitizer in man.

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References
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