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NCI Drug Dictionary


etoposide  Patient Information
A semisynthetic derivative of podophyllotoxin, a substance extracted from the mandrake root Podophyllum peltatum. Possessing potent antineoplastic properties, etoposide binds to and inhibits topoisomerase II and its function in ligating cleaved DNA molecules, resulting in the accumulation of single- or double-strand DNA breaks, the inhibition of DNA replication and transcription, and apoptotic cell death. Etoposide acts primarily in the G2 and S phases of the cell cycle. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)
Synonyms:Demethyl Epipodophyllotoxin Ethylidine Glucoside
epipodophyllotoxin
US brand names:Toposar
VePesid
Foreign brand name:Lastet
Abbreviation:EPEG
Code names:VP-16
VP-16-213
Chemical structures:4'-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin 9-[4,6-O-ethylidene-beta-D-glucopyranoside
9-[(4,6-O-Ethylidene-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-5,8,8a,9-tetrahydro-5-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)furo[3',4':6,7]naphtho[2,3-d]-1,3-dioxol-6(5aH)-one