dactinomycin

Produced by several species of Streptomyces ( e.g., S. parvulus); an antineoplastic antibiotic used especially for Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and Wilms tumor in children and for trophoblastic disease in women. SEE ALSO: actinomycin. SYN: actinomycin D.

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dac·ti·no·my·cin .dak-tə-nō-'mīs-ən n a toxic antineoplastic drug C₆₂H₈₆N₁₂O₁₆ of the actinomycin group called also actinomycin D

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n.

a cytotoxic drug (an antibiotic) used mainly to treat cancers in children. It is administered by injection; side-effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, blood disorders, and bone-marrow damage. Trade name: Comegen Lyovac.

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dac·ti·no·my·cin (DACT) (dak″tĭ-no-miґsin) [USP] an antineoplastic antibiotic (actinomycin D) produced by Streptomyces parvulus; it consists of a phenoxazone ring and two cyclic pentapeptide side chains and acts by binding to DNA with the ring intercalated between adjacent guanine-cytosine base pairs, resulting in blocking of transcription by RNA polymerase. It is used as an antineoplastic agent for treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms tumor in children and is also effective against Ewing sarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma, osteogenic sarcoma and soft tissue sarcomas, testicular carcinoma, and choriocarcinoma; administered intravenously and by isolation-perfusion technique. Major side effects are nausea and vomiting, ulceration of the oral mucosa, and bone marrow depression.