Search

The effects of etoposide on body weight, organ weights and the concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in 14 different tissues were examined in rats that had been given the drug for five consecutive days. Etoposide reduces all polyamines, which are associated with tumor cell growth, in the thymus and reduces polyamines of two kinds in the spleen, heart, small intestine, skeletal muscle and lung but it increases putrescine in the prostate and spleen, and spermine in the large intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of etoposide on body weight, regional weights, and the concentrations of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in the cerebellum, hippocampus, corpus striatum, cortex, the combined regions of the thalamus and hypothalamus and the diencephalon of the brain were examined in rats. Etoposide seems to be a better choice for management of cortical and hippocampal tumors because it reduces polyamines, which are associated with tumor cell growth, but not for the management of tumors of the diencephalon and corpus striatum because it increases polyamines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]