FDA Approves Pharmacia and UpJohn's Adrucil

Treating symptoms of colon, rectum, breast, stomach, and pancreas cancer. Adrucil is an antimetabolite. It works by interfering with the production of proteins necessary for cell growth and reproduction

Adrucil is the brand name for fluorouracil, a chemotherapy drug that interferes with the growth of cancer cells. It can be used to treat many types of cancers, including cancer of the colon, rectum, breast, stomach, head, and neck.

The mechanism of action of fluorouracil is mainly related to competitive inhibition of thymidylate synthetase, the enzyme catalyzing the methylation of deoxyuridylic acid to thymidylic acid. The consequent thymidine deficiency results in inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, thus inducing cell death. Also, moderate inhibition of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and incorporation of fluorouracil into RNA have been observed. The predominant mechanism of antitumor action appears to be dependent, at least in part, on individual tumor intracellular metabolism.

Adrucil is an antineoplastic anti-metabolite. Anti-metabolites masquerade as purine or pyrimidine - which become the building blocks of DNA. They prevent these substances becoming incorporated in to DNA during the "S" phase (of the cell cycle), stopping normal development and division. Adrucil blocks an enzyme which converts the cytosine nucleotide into the deoxy derivative. In addition, DNA synthesis is further inhibited because Adrucil blocks the incorporation of the thymidine nucleotide into the DNA strand.