Altretamine

Altretamine

Altretamine is a synthetic cytotoxic antineoplastic drug that’sused as palliative treatment for patients with ovarian cancer.

Pharmacokinetics

Altretamine is well absorbed after oral administration.

Metabolism and excretion

Altretamine is metabolized extensively in the liver and excreted by the liver and kidneys. The parent compound is poorly bound to plasma proteins.

Pharmacodynamics

The exact mechanism of action of altretamine is unknown. How-ever, its metabolites are alkylating drugs.

Pharmacotherapeutics

Altretamine is used as palliative treatment of persistent or recur-ring ovarian cancer after first-line therapy with cisplatin or an alkylating drug-based combination.

Drug interactions

Altretamine has a few significant interactions with other drugs. Concomitant therapy with cimetidine may increase altretamine’s half-life, increasing the risk of altretamine toxicity.

Don’t mix with MAOI

Use with an MAOI may cause severe orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure upon rising). (See Adverse reactions to al-tretamine.)