Ifosfamide

Toxicity

LD50 (mouse) = 390-1005 mg/kg, LD50 (rat) = 150-190 mg/kg. Side effects include nausea, vomiting and myelosuppression. Toxic effects include central nervous system toxicity (confusion, hallucinations) and urotoxic effects (cystitis, blood in urine).

The Uses of Ifosfamide

A cytostatic agent, related structurally to cyclophosphamide

Background

Ifosfamide is a chemotherapeutic agent chemically related to the nitrogen mustards and a synthetic analog of cyclophosphamide. It is active as an alkylating agent and an immunosuppressive agent.

Indications

Used as a component of various chemotherapeutic regimens as third-line therapy for recurrent or refractory germ cell testicular cancer. Also used as a component of various chemotherapeutic regimens for the treatment of cervical cancer, as well as in conjunction with surgery and/or radiation therapy in the treatment of various soft tissue sarcomas. Other indications include treatment of osteosarcoma, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer. small cell lung cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

What are the applications of Application

Ifosfamide is a cytostatic agent structurally related to cyclophosphamide

Pharmacokinetics

Ifosfamide requires activation by microsomal liver enzymes to active metabolites in order to exert its cytotoxic effects. Activation occurs by hydroxylation at the ring carbon atom 4 to form the unstable intermediate 4-hydroxyifosfamide. This metabolite than rapidly degrades to the stable urinary metabolite 4-ketoifosfamide. The stable urinary metabolite, 4-carboxyifosfamide, is formed upon opening of the ring. These urinary metabolites have not been found to be cytotoxic. N, N-bis (2-chloroethyl)-phosphoric acid diamide (ifosphoramide) and acrolein are also found. The major urinary metabolites, dechloroethyl ifosfamide and dechloroethyl cyclophosphamide, are formed upon enzymatic oxidation of the chloroethyl side chains and subsequent dealkylation. It is the alkylated metabolites of ifosfamide that have been shown to interact with DNA. Ifosfamide is cycle-phase nonspecific.

Metabolism

Primarily hepatic. Ifosfamide is metabolized through two metabolic pathways: ring oxidation ("activation") to form the active metabolite, 4-hydroxy-ifosfamide and side-chain oxidation to form the inactive metabolites, 3-dechloro-ethylifosfamide or 2-dechloroethylifosfamide with liberation of the toxic metabolite, chloroacetaldehyde. Small quantities (nmol/mL) of ifosfamide mustard and 4-hydroxyifosfamide are detectable in human plasma. Metabolism of ifosfamide is required for the generation of the biologically active species and while metabolism is extensive, it is also quite variable among patients.