Spermine is a spermidine-derived biogenic polyamine found as a polycation at all pH values. Found in various tissues and organisms, it often acts as an essential growth factor in some... Spermine is associated with nucleic acids, particularly in viruses, and is thought to stabilize the helical structure.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
Spermine is derived from spermidine by spermine synthase. Spermine is a polyamine, a small organic cations that is absolutely required for eukaryotic cell growth. Spermine, is normally found in millimolar concentrations in the nucleus. Spermine functions directly as a free radical scavenger, and forms a variety of adducts that prevent oxidative damage to DNA. Oxidative damage to DNA by reactive oxygen species is a continual problem that cells must guard against to survive. Hence, spermine is a major natural intracellular compound capable of protecting DNA from free radical attack. Spermine is also implicated in the regulation of gene expression, the stabilization of chromatin, and the prevention of endonuclease-mediated DNA fragmentation.
- Primary indication
- For nutritional supplementation, also for treating dietary shortage or imbalanceCurator reviewed
- Formula / weight
- C10H26N4 · 202.3402 g/mol (avg)
- Also known as
- Musculamine
- Code names
- NSC-268508
Resolves to
PFNFFQXMRSDOHW-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESNCCCNCCCCNCCCNWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Spermine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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