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The Daily Insight

How does cytosine arabinoside work?

Author

Jessica Cortez

Updated on April 04, 2026

Cytosine arabinoside is a pyrimidine nucleoside antimetabolite. Intracellularly it is converted into cytarabine triphosphate, which competes with deoxycytidine triphosphate and inhibits DNA polymerase with resulting inhibition of DNA synthesis. It is a cell cycle-specific agent acting in the S phase.

How cytosine arabinoside work to inhibit the activity of DNA polymerase?

Cytosine arabinoside interferes with the synthesis of DNA. Its mode of action is due to its rapid conversion into cytosine arabinoside triphosphate, which damages DNA when the cell cycle holds in the S phase (synthesis of DNA).

What is the mechanism of action of cytarabine?

Mechanism of Action Cytarabine is a pyrimidine analog and is also known as arabinosylcytosine (ARA-C). It is converted into the triphosphate form within the cell and competes with cytidine to incorporate itself in the DNA. The sugar moiety of cytarabine hinders the rotation of the molecule within the DNA.

What is thioguanine used for?

Thioguanine is used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML; a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells). Thioguanine is in a class of medications known as purine analogs. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.

Is cytosine arabinoside a chemotherapy drug?

Cytarabine is a type of chemotherapy drug and is also known by its brand name, Ara C. It is a treatment for: acute leukaemias (cancers of the blood)

What is the major molecular target of cytarabine?

Cytarabine is cytotoxic to a wide variety of proliferating mammalian cells in culture. It exhibits cell phase specificity, primarily killing cells undergoing DNA synthesis (S-phase) and under certain conditions blocking the progression of cells from the G1 phase to the S-phase.

What type of chemotherapy is cytarabine?

Cytarabine is a type of chemotherapy drug and is also known by its brand name, Ara C. It is a treatment for: acute leukaemias (cancers of the blood) some lymphomas (cancers of the lymph glands)

Is thioguanine a chemotherapy drug?

Thioguanine is used to treat a certain type of cancer (acute myeloid leukemia-AML). It is a chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.

What are the side effects of fludarabine?

Fludarabine injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • loss of appetite.
  • nausea.
  • vomiting.
  • constipation.
  • diarrhea.
  • mouth sores.
  • hair loss.
  • numbness, burning, pain, or tingling in the hands, arms, feet, or legs.