Arimidex (Molecule of the Month for December 2005)
anastrozole
ARIMIDEX works by lowering the amount of the hormone estrogen in the body, importantly it is a hormonal treatment, not a cytotoxic chemotherapy. It is the first hormonal treatment of its kind approved for initial adjuvant treatment (treatment following surgery with or without radiation) of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.
Anastrozole belongs in the class of drugs known as aromatase inhibitors. It inhibits the enzyme aromatase, which is responsible for converting androgens (produced by women in the adrenal glands) to oestrogen. Arimidex is only for postmenopausal women.
Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)
2,2'-(5-((1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methyl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(2-methylpropanenitrile)
References
click on the picture of Arimidex above to interact
with the 3D model of the
Arimidex structure
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C17H19N5
Update by Karl Harrison
(Molecule of the Month for
December 2005
)
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