Cytarabine (ara-C) is a nucleoside analog and prodrug form of the DNA polymerase inhibitor ara-CTP. It is triphosphorylated to ara-CTP by the successive actions of deoxycytidine kinase, deoxycytidylate kinase, and nucleoside diphosphate kinase.Ara-C inhibits proliferation of HL-60, ML-1, Raji, and Jurkat human leukemia cell lines with IC50 values of 37, 17, 16, and 72 nM, respectively.It induces cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in HL-60 cells when used at concentrations of 2.5 and 15 µM.ara-C (75 mg/kg per day, i.p.) reduces tumor growth and increases tumor caspase-3 activity in an MOLM-13 mouse xenograft model.It also increases survival and reduces brain herpesvirus titers in infected rats when administered subcutaneously at doses of 80 and 320 mg/kg.Formulations containing ara-C have been used in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

C₉H₁₃N₃O₅

H₂O/DMSO