Classification of Antineoplastic Agents

CLASSIFICATION

Antineoplastic agents are classified as follows:

I. Alkylating agents

II. Antimetabolites

III. Antibiotics

IV. Plant products

V. Enzymes

VI. Hormones

VII. Immuno therapy

VIII. Monoclonal antibodies

IX. Radio-therapeutic agents

X. Cyto-protective agents

XI. Miscellaneous.

I. Alkylating agents

a. Nitrogen mustards

Chlorambucil

Estramustine

Chloroquine nitrogen mustard

b. Alkyl Sulphonate

Busulfan

CH₃SO₂O(CH₂)₄OSO₂CH₃

c. Nitrosoureas

d. Aziridines

e. Altretamine

Triethylene melamine

f. Methylhydrazines

Procarbazine

Dacarbazine

II. Antimetabolites

a. Pyrimdine analogues

b. Purine Analogues

c. Folic acid analogues

R = H (Aminopterin)

R = CH₃ (Methotrexate)

II. Antibiotics

a. Anthracyclines

Valrubicin

b. Bleomycins

c. Mitomycins

Mitomycin C

Dactinomycin C or Actinomycin D

Plicamycin or Mithramycin

III. Plant products

a. Vinca alkaloids

Vinorelbine

Vincristine, Vinblastine

Vincristine R = CHO

Vinblastine R = CH3

b. Camptothecin Derivatives

c. Epipodophyllo toxins

d. Taxol derivatives

IV. Enzymes

Examples—_L-asparaginase, Pegaspargase

V. Hormones

a. Estorgenic derivatives

(i) 17-β-Estradiol R= H

(ii) Ethinyl estradiol 

Diethylstilbosterol (nonsteroidal drug)

b. Progestine derivatives

Progesterone

Progestins

c. Testosterone derivatives

Testosterone

d. Steroidal anti-inflammatory agents

Prednisone

Flutamide (Nonsteroidal antiandrogen)

d. Miscellaneous agents

Mitotane

Tamoxifen

Pipobroman

Aminoglutethimide

VI. Immuno therapay

Interferon α-2a; Interferon-2b; Interferon α-n3; Aldesleukin, Diftitox, Denileukin; and Bucillus calmette-Guerin (BCG)

VII. Monoclonal Antibodies

Rituximab, Gemtuzumab, Ozogamicin

VIII. Radio-therapeutic agents

Chromic phosphate P-32; Sodium phosphate P-32; Sodium iodide I-131; Strontium-89 chloride; Samarium Sm 153 lexidronam

IX. Cytoprotective agents

Mesna, Amifostine, Dexrazoxane

X. Miscellaneous