Etanidazole
Encyclopedia
Etanidazole is a nitroimidazole
drug used for its radiosensitizing properties. Administration of etanidazole results in a decrease of glutathione
concentration and inhibits glutathione S-transferase
. The result is that tissues become more sensitive to the ionizing radiation
used in cancer treatment.
Nitroimidazole
4-Nitroimidazole is an imidazole derivative that contains a nitro group.Several derivatives of nitroimidazole constitute the class of nitroimidazole antibiotics that have been used to combat anaerobic bacterial and parasitic infections. Perhaps the most common example is metronidazole . Other...
drug used for its radiosensitizing properties. Administration of etanidazole results in a decrease of glutathione
Glutathione
Glutathione is a tripeptide that contains an unusual peptide linkage between the amine group of cysteine and the carboxyl group of the glutamate side-chain...
concentration and inhibits glutathione S-transferase
Glutathione S-transferase
Enzymes of the glutathione S-transferase family are composed of many cytosolic, mitochondrial, and microsomal proteins. GSTs are present in eukaryotes and in prokaryotes, where they catalyze a variety of reactions and accept endogenous and xenobiotic substrates.GSTs can constitute up to 10% of...
. The result is that tissues become more sensitive to the ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation is radiation composed of particles that individually have sufficient energy to remove an electron from an atom or molecule. This ionization produces free radicals, which are atoms or molecules containing unpaired electrons...
used in cancer treatment.