Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: CYTARABINE versus CYTOSAR U.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: CYTARABINE versus CYTOSAR U.
CYTARABINE vs CYTOSAR-U
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Cytarabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog that inhibits DNA synthesis. It is converted intracellularly to its active triphosphate form, which competes with deoxycytidine triphosphate for incorporation into DNA, leading to chain termination and inhibition of DNA polymerase. It also inhibits DNA repair and RNA synthesis.
Cytarabine is an antimetabolite that inhibits DNA synthesis by competing with cytidine for incorporation into DNA, causing chain termination and inhibiting DNA polymerase.
100-200 mg/m² IV continuous infusion over 24 hours for 7 days (induction) or 1-3 g/m² IV every 12 hours for 3-6 days (high-dose). Intrathecal: 30-100 mg/m² (max 100 mg) once every 2-7 days.
Cytarabine 100-200 mg/m² IV continuous infusion over 24 hours for 5-7 days (induction) or 1-3 g/m² IV every 12 hours for 6 doses (high-dose cytarabine).
None Documented
None Documented
Clinical Note
moderateCytarabine + Digoxin
"Cytarabine may decrease the cardiotoxic activities of Digoxin."
Clinical Note
moderateCytarabine + Digitoxin
"Cytarabine may decrease the cardiotoxic activities of Digitoxin."
Clinical Note
moderateCytarabine + Deslanoside
"Cytarabine may decrease the cardiotoxic activities of Deslanoside."
Clinical Note
moderateCytarabine + Acetyldigitoxin
"Cytarabine may decrease the cardiotoxic activities of Acetyldigitoxin."
Initial distribution half-life ~10 min; terminal elimination half-life ~1-3 hours (biphasic); prolongs in renal impairment.
The terminal elimination half-life of cytarabine is 1-3 hours for the initial phase (alpha) and 2-6 hours for the terminal phase (beta), with a mean of approximately 2.5 hours. In patients with renal impairment, half-life may be prolonged up to 6-8 hours, requiring dose adjustment.
Primarily hepatic metabolism (deaminated by cytidine deaminase to inactive uracil arabinoside); renal excretion of unchanged drug accounts for <10% of dose; <1% biliary/fecal.
Cytosar-U (cytarabine) is primarily excreted renally as inactive metabolite uracil arabinoside (Ara-U). Approximately 70-80% of a dose is recovered in urine within 24-48 hours, with <10% excreted as unchanged drug. Biliary/fecal elimination is minimal (<5%).
Category C
Category C
Antineoplastic Antimetabolite
Antineoplastic Antimetabolite