Fluorouracil is a pyrimidine analog used to treat basal cell carcinomas, and as an injection in palliative cancer treatment. A pyrimidine analog that is an antineoplastic antimetabolite.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
The precise mechanism of action has not been fully determined, but the main mechanism of fluorouracil is thought to be the binding of the deoxyribonucleotide of the drug (FdUMP) and the folate cofactor, N5–10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, to thymidylate synthase (TS) to form a covalently bound ternary complex. This results in the inhibition of the formation of thymidylate from uracil, which leads to the inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis and cell death. Fluorouracil can also be incorporated into RNA in place of uridine triphosphate (UTP), producing a fraudulent RNA and interfering with RNA processing and protein synthesis.
- Primary indication
- For the topical treatment of multiple actinic or solar keratoses.Curator reviewed · 12 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C4H3FN2O2 · 130.0772 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2003 · United States, 1970
- Also known as
- 5 Fluorouracil · 5 FU · 5- Fluorouracil · 5-Fluorouracil · 5-Fluorouracile
- Code names
- NSC-19893 · RO 2-9757
- Brand names
Resolves to
GHASVSINZRGABV-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESFC1=CNC(=O)NC1=OWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Fluorouracil, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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