Cytotoxic agents
Cytotoxic agents
Cytotoxic agents (pronunciation: sy-toh-tox-ik ay-gents) are a group of drugs that have the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of certain cells, particularly cancer cells. The term "cytotoxic" is derived from the Greek words "kytos" meaning "cell" and "toxicos" meaning "poison".
History
The use of cytotoxic agents in medicine dates back to the 20th century, with the discovery of the anti-cancer properties of mustard gas during World War II. This led to the development of the first generation of cytotoxic drugs, known as alkylating agents.
Mechanism of action
Cytotoxic agents work by interfering with cell division (mitosis), which prevents the growth and multiplication of rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells. They achieve this by damaging the DNA or the cellular machinery involved in cell division.
Types of cytotoxic agents
There are several types of cytotoxic agents, including:
- Alkylating agents: These drugs work by attaching an alkyl group to the DNA's guanine base, which prevents the DNA strands from uncoiling and separating, thereby inhibiting DNA replication.
- Antimetabolites: These drugs mimic the normal substances within a cell. When these substances are incorporated into the cellular metabolism, they inhibit essential processes, such as DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis.
- Antitumor antibiotics: These drugs interfere with the enzymes involved in DNA replication. A commonly used antitumor antibiotic is doxorubicin.
- Topoisomerase inhibitors: These drugs interfere with the action of topoisomerase, an enzyme that alters the supercoiling of DNA strands.
- Mitotic inhibitors: These drugs inhibit mitosis (cell division) by interfering with microtubules, which are structures that pull the cell apart when it divides.
Side effects
Like all drugs, cytotoxic agents can cause side effects. These can include nausea, vomiting, hair loss (alopecia), and a decrease in blood cells (myelosuppression).
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cytotoxic agents
- Wikipedia's article - Cytotoxic agents
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