Hycanthone is the

schistosomicide A schistosomicide is a drug used to combat schistosomiasis. List Examples listed in MeSH include: * amoscanate * arteether * artemether * chloroxylenol * hycanthone * lucanthone * metrifonate * niridazole * oltipraz * oxamniquine * praziquan ...

approved by the FDA in 1975. It is a metabolite of lucanthone. Hycanthone interferes with

parasite Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...

nerve function, resulting in paralysis and death. This agent also intercalates into DNA and inhibits RNA synthesis ''

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called " test-tube experiments", these studies in biology ...

'' and shows potential antineoplastic activity.

Anti-schistosomal activity

Hycanthone is shown to be an effective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from '' Schistosoma mansoni'', but is less potential against AChE from mammalian origin. This might come from differences in the configuration of active center between schistosome and mammalian AChE enzymes. Hycanthone is shown to intercalates into DNA and inhibit RNA synthesis ''

''. A growing body of evidence has shown that hycathone has an antineoplastic activity.

Clinical trials

* Phase II Study of Chemotherapy with Hycanthone for Advanced Colorectal Carcinoma. * Phase II Chemotherapy with Hycanthone Mesylate and Flagyl for Advanced Malignant Lymphomas (Completed)

Physical properties

References

{{Anthelmintics Antiparasitic agents Thioxanthones Diethylamino compounds