Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells
13:38

Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Published on: January 18, 2017

Amifostine-antioxidant drug in anticancer therapy

Anna Stankiewicz1, Elzbieta Skrzydlewska

  • 1Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical Academy, Poland.

Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods
|December 22, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Amifostine

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Antineoplastic drugs cause cellular damage to both cancerous and healthy cells.
  • Developing protective agents for healthy tissues during cancer therapy is crucial.
  • Amifostine is a potential cytoprotective drug used in cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the protective mechanisms of amifostine against healthy cell damage during antineoplastic therapy.
  • To understand how amifostine's active metabolite, WR-1065, exerts its protective effects.
  • To elucidate the role of WR-1065 in preventing drug-induced toxicity and free radical damage.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on amifostine and its metabolite WR-1065.
  • Analysis of proposed mechanisms of action for WR-1065.
  • Examination of WR-1065's role in inhibiting apoptosis and neutralizing free radicals.

Main Results:

  • Amifostine's active metabolite, WR-1065, is believed to protect healthy tissues.
  • WR-1065 may protect by binding and detoxifying anticancer drugs.
  • WR-1065 also scavenges free radicals and inhibits irradiation-induced apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • Amifostine, via WR-1065, shows promise in protecting healthy cells during cancer treatment.
  • Further research is needed to fully comprehend amifostine's cytoprotective mechanisms.
  • Understanding these mechanisms can lead to improved cancer therapy protocols.

Related Concept Videos

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules01:15

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules

Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo cycles of catastrophe and rescue. The microtubules play a central role in cell division by forming the spindle apparatus for segregating the chromosomes. This makes them ideal targets for regulating dividing cells in tumors and malignant cancer cells. Microtubule stabilizing drugs help stabilize the microtubule formation and promote its polymerization. Paclitaxel was the first microtubule stabilizing agent used as anticancer drug in chemotherapy...
Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules01:10

Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules

Microtubules are dynamic structures and can be regulated by microtubule targeting agents (MTAs). Microtubule destabilizing drugs are a class of MTAs that destabilize and prevent microtubules' polymerization. Both natural and synthetic chemicals can be found under this class of drugs. Vincristine and vinblastine, two vinca alkaloids, and colchicine were among the first to be discovered. These drugs can affect cells in various ways, either by inducing a change in cell morphology, preventing...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II01:46

Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is the main energy generation system in the eukaryotic cells. However, mitochondria also produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the large electron flow during oxidative phosphorylation. While Complex I is one of the primary sources of superoxide radicals, ROS production by Complex II is uncommon and may only be observed in cancer cells with mutated complexes.
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...