anthracycline

anthracycline

 [an″thrah-si´klēn] a class of antibiotics isolated from cultures of Streptomyces peucetius; it includes the antineoplastic agentsdaunorubicin and doxorubicin. The use of these drugs is limited by a chronic, cumulative, dose-related toxicity resulting in irreversible heart failure" >congestive heart failure.Anthracycline. For daunorubicin, R₁ = -CH₃; for doxorubicin, R₁ = -CHOH.

an·thra·cyc·line

(an'thra-sīk'lin, -lēn), Anticancer agent consisting of three moieties: a pigmented aglycone, an amino sugar, and a lateral chain. Examples include doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and daunomycin (pirubicin).

anthracycline

Oncology A chemotherapeutic used in leukemia to prevent cell division Adverse effects Dose-dependent stomatitis, N&V and BM suppression which 'maxes' at ± 10 days; alopecia is normal; extravasation at IV injection site causes severe, protracted ulcers and necrosis. See Chemotherapy, Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, Idarubicin.