A very toxic anthracycline aminoglycoside antineoplastic isolated from Streptomyces peucetius and others, used in treatment of leukemia and other neoplasms.

Daunorubicin Hcl is an antineoplastic in the anthracycline class. General properties of drugs in this class include: interaction with DNA in a variety of different ways including intercalation (squeezing between the base pairs), DNA strand breakage and inhibition with the enzyme topoisomerase II. Most of these compounds have been isolated from natural sources and antibiotics. However, they lack the specificity of the antimicrobial antibiotics and thus produce significant toxicity. The anthracyclines are among the most important antitumor drugs available. Doxorubicin is widely used for the treatment of several solid tumors while daunorubicin and idarubicin are used exclusively for the treatment of leukemia. Daunorubicin Hcl may also inhibit polymerase activity, affect regulation of gene expression, and produce free radical damage to DNA. Daunorubicin Hcl possesses an antitumor effect against a wide spectrum of tumors, either grafted or spontaneous. The anthracyclines are cell cycle-nonspecific.

Patient Information:

Daunorubicin is not recommended to patients who are pregnant and breast feeding because of the serious side
effects.

Check with your doctor immediately if you experience unusual bleeding or bruising, black stool, blood in
urine or stool.

Avoid contact with persons with infections. Check with you doctor immediately if you experience fever,
chill, cough or painful or painful or difficult urination.

Wash hands after you touch the medication.

Chemical Structure

Cerubidine is contraindicated in patients who have shown a hypersensitivity to it.

Daunorubicin Hcl Indication: For remission induction in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (myelogenous, monocytic, erythroid) of adults and for remission induction in acute lymphocytic leukemia of children and adults.