Matulane: profile and news

Matulane’s new album ready for market Feb 19, 2006
BULAWAYO-based musician, Obediah Matulane has finished working on his new album which will be available on the market next month. ... - Chronicle,

Other information

Indication
For use with other anticancer drugs for the treatment of stage III and stage IV Hodgkin's disease.

Pharmacology
Procarbazine is an antineoplastic in the class of alkylating agents and is used to treat various forms of cancer. Alkylating agents are so named because of their ability to add alkyl groups to many electronegative groups under conditions present in cells. They stop tumor growth by cross-linking guanine bases in DNA double-helix strands - directly attacking DNA. This makes the strands unable to uncoil and separate. As this is necessary in DNA replication, the cells can no longer divide. In addition, these drugs add methyl or other alkyl groups onto molecules where they do not belong which in turn inhibits their correct utilization by base pairing and causes a miscoding of DNA. Procarbazine is cell-phase specific for the S phase of cell division.

Mechanism Of Action
The precise mode of cytotoxic action of procarbazine has not been clearly defined. There is evidence that the drug may act by inhibition of protein, RNA and DNA synthesis. Studies have suggested that procarbazine may inhibit transmethylation of methyl groups of methionine into t-RNA. The absence of functional t-RNA could cause the cessation of protein synthesis and consequently DNA and RNA synthesis. In addition, procarbazine may directly damage DNA. Hydrogen peroxide, formed during the auto-oxidation of the drug, may attack protein sulfhydryl groups contained in residual protein which is tightly bound to DNA.

Drug Category
Antineoplastic Agents; ATC:L01XB01

Brand Names/Synonyms
CCRIS 2389; CHEMBANK3199; HSDB 3250; IBZ; Ibenzmethyzin; Ibenzmethyzine; Ibenzmethyzine Hydrochloride; MBH; MIH; Matulane; Mih Hydrochloride; NSC-77213; Nathulane; Natulan; Natulan Hydrochloride; Natulanar; Natunalar; PCB; PCX; Pcb Hydrochloride; Procarbazin; Procarbazin [German]; Procarbazina [Inn-Spanish]; Procarbazine; Procarbazine Hydrochloride; Procarbazinum [Inn-Latin]; Ro 4 6467/1

Dosage Forms
CAPSULE

Absorption
Procarbazine is rapidly and completely absorbed.

Interactions
Interactions for Procarbazine: To minimize CNS depression and possible potentiation, barbiturates, antihistamines, narcotics, hypotensive agents or phenothiazines should be used with caution. Ethyl alcohol should not be used since there may be an Antabuse (disulfiram)-like reaction. Because Matulane exhibits some monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity, sympathomimetic drugs, tricyclic antidepressant drugs (e.g., amitriptyline HCl, imipramine HCl) and other drugs and foods with known high tyramine content, such as wine, yogurt, ripe cheese and bananas, should be avoided. A further phenomenon of toxicity common to many hydrazine derivatives is hemolysis and the appearance of Heinz-Ehrlich inclusion bodies in erythrocytes. No cross-resistance with other chemotherapeutic agents, radiotherapy or steroids has been demonstrated.

Chemical IUPAC Name
N-(1-methylethyl)-4-[(N'-methylhydrazino)methyl]benzamide

Chemical Formula
C12H19N3O

Half Life
10 minutes

Drug Type
Approved Drug

# Accession No
APRD00695

CAS Registry Number
671-16-9