Cytarabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue used to treat acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia, and the blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia. A pyrimidine nucleoside analog that is used mainly in the treatment of leukemia, especially acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
Cytarabine acts through direct DNA damage and incorporation into DNA. 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. Although the mechanism of action is not completely understood, it appears that cytarabine acts through the inhibition of DNA polymerase. A limited, but significant, incorporation of cytarabine into both DNA and RNA has also been reported.
- Primary indication
- For the treatment of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia and blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia.Curator reviewed · 10 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C9H13N3O5 · 243.2166 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1995 · United States, 1990 · European Union, 2020
- Also known as
- Ara-C · AraC · Aracytidine · Cytarabin · Cytosine arabinoside
- Code names
- CHX-3311 · NSC-287459 · U-19,920 · U 19920A · WR-28453
- Brand names
Resolves to
UHDGCWIWMRVCDJ-CCXZUQQUSA-NSMILESNC1=NC(=O)N(C=C1)[C@@H]1O[C@H](CO)[C@@H](O)[C@@H]1OWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Cytarabine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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