Antimetabolite

Antimetabolite

Antimetabolite (pronunciation: an-ti-me-tab-o-lite) is a type of chemotherapy drug that interferes with the normal metabolism of cells, thereby inhibiting their growth and replication.

Etymology

The term "antimetabolite" is derived from the prefix "anti-", meaning against, and "metabolite", referring to a substance formed in or necessary for metabolism. Thus, an antimetabolite is a substance that opposes the actions of a metabolite.

Mechanism of Action

Antimetabolites work by mimicking the structure of essential metabolites in the cell. They compete with these metabolites for the active sites of enzymes, thereby inhibiting the enzymes' function and disrupting the cell's normal metabolic processes. This prevents the cell from synthesizing necessary components, such as DNA, RNA, and proteins, which ultimately leads to cell death.

Types of Antimetabolites

There are several types of antimetabolites used in chemotherapy, including:

• Methotrexate: This drug inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, which is necessary for the synthesis of DNA and RNA.
• 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU): 5-FU is a pyrimidine analog that inhibits the enzyme thymidylate synthase, disrupting DNA synthesis.
• Gemcitabine: This drug is a cytidine analog that inhibits DNA synthesis.

Side Effects

Like all chemotherapy drugs, antimetabolites can have side effects. These may include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Mucositis
• Myelosuppression, which can lead to anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia

Related Terms

• Chemotherapy
• Metabolite
• DNA
• RNA
• Enzyme
• Methotrexate
• 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)
• Gemcitabine
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Mucositis
• Myelosuppression
• Anemia
• Neutropenia
• Thrombocytopenia

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Antimetabolite
• Wikipedia's article - Antimetabolite

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