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Arsenic trioxide
- indication:For induction of remission and consolidation in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and whose APL is characterized by the presence of the t(15;17) translocation or PML/RAR-alpha gene expression
- pharmacologypharmacology:
- mechanism: The mechanism of action of Arsenic Trioxide is not completely understood. Arsenic trioxide causes morphological changes and DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis in NB4 human promyelocytic leukemia cells <i>in vitro</i>. Arsenic trioxide also causes damage or degradation of the fusion protein PML/RAR-alpha. It is suspected that arsenic trioxide induces cancer cells to undergo apoptosis.
- toxicity: Symptoms of overdose include convulsions, muscle weakness and confusion.
- absorprion:
- halflife:
- roouteelimination: Trivalent arsenic is mostly methylated in humans and excreted in urine.
- volumedistribution:
- clearance: