Chemotherapy and Its Side Effects: Chapter 2 - Mitotic ihibitors (Tubule inhibitors)(Cont'd)

C.2. Vinblastine

Fig. 1.10  Vinblastine

Vinblastine (Fig. 1.10) was first isolated from a Madagascar plant, periwinkle. Vinblastine has been used to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lung cancer, and bladder cancer. It works as a mitotic inhibitor, similar to Paclitaxel through microtubule modulation by suppressing microtubule dynamics and the reduction microtubule mass.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2019

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen. 

Chemotherapy and Its Side Effects: Chapter 2 - Mitotic ihibitors (Tubule inhibitors)(Cont'd)

C.1. Paclitaxel (Sold as Taxol®)

Paclitaxel (Fig. 1.9) was isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, by Monroe Wall and Mansukh Wani in 1967.  It was co-developed by NCI and Bristol-Myers Squibb. The drug product was approved as Taxol® by the FDA in 1992. Since its approval, Taxol has been used to treat patients with ovarian, lung, and breast cancer for a number of years. 

Fig. 1.9   Structure of paclitaxel

Paclitaxel works by hyper-stabilizing microtubules, major components of the dynamic cellular skeleton (cytoskeleton), to interfere with the normal breakdown of microtubules in the M phase of cell cycle (mitosis). In eukaryotic cells (cells with a nucleus), the cell cycle can be divided in two brief periods: interphase and the mitosis. During the interphase (I), the cell grows, accumulating nutrients and duplicates its DNA. During the mitosis phase (M), the cell splits itself into two distinct daughter cells. As a result of paclitaxel treatment, which hyper-stabilizes microtubules and hampers the mitosis, cancer cells are not able to replicate.

Similar to all other anticancer drugs, paclitaxel has a number of side effects. Serious side effects include unusual bleeding, skin rash, change in bowel habits, fever, chills, cough, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, shortness of breath, as well as severe exhaustion.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2019

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen.