Molecule

Drug Groups

approved; investigational

Description

One of the schistosomicides, it has been replaced largely by hycanthone and more recently praziquantel. (From Martindale The Extrapharmacopoeia, 30th ed., p46). It is currently being tested as a radiation sensitizer.

Indication

Intended for use as a radiation sensitizer in the treatment of brain cancer.

Pharmacology

Although lucanthone has structural and biochemical similarities to Actinomycin D, it has no hematological or gastro-intestinal toxicity at clinically tolerated doses. In trials, Lucanthone was found to be safe, practical and effective and was proposed for use in clinical protocols for the treatment of cancer. The specificity of lucanthone in combination with radiation for the treatment of brain tumors arises from the fact that lucanthone acts preferentially on cycling cells (most of the normal brain cells are non-cycling) and the fact that lucanthone crosses the blood brain barrier efficiently.

Affected Organisms

Absorption

Orally available

References

External Links