For the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma. In addition, dacarbazine is also indicated for Hodgkin's disease as a secondary-line therapy when used in combination with other antineoplastic agents.
The mechanism of action is not known, but appears to exert cytotoxic effects via its action as an alkylating agent. Other theories include DNA synthesis inhibition by its action as a purine analog, and interaction with SH groups. Dacarbazine is not cell cycle-phase specific.
LD<sub>50</sub>=350mg/kg (orally in mice)
Erratic, slow and incomplete
5 hours
Dacarbazine is subject to renal tubular secretion rather than glomerular filtration. In man, dacarbazine is extensively degraded. Besides unchanged dacarbazine, 5-aminoimidazole -4 carboxamide (AIC) is a major metabolite of dacarbazine excreted in the urine.