- Anthracyclines is a class of drugs used in cancer chemotherapy that are extracted from Streptomyces bacterium. These compounds are used to treat many cancers, including leukemias, lymphomas, breast, stomach, uterine, ovarian, bladder cancer, and lung cancers. The first anthracycline discovered was daunorubicin (Daunomycin), which is produced naturally by Streptomyces peucetius, a species of actinobacteria. Clinically the most important anthracyclines are doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin and idarubicin.
- A chemotherapeutic used in leukemia to prevent cell division Adverse effects Dose-dependent stomatitis, N&V and BM suppression which ‘maxes’ at ± 10 days; alopecia is normal; extravasation at IV injection site causes severe, protracted ulcers and necrosis.
