Antineoplastic agents nitrogen mustards

There is no specific therapy for sulphur mustard or nitrogen mustard poisoning. Perhaps because of this a considerable number of palliative approaches have been suggested. Some lessons have been learnt in this area from the extensive use of alkylating agents as antineoplastic drugs. It will be obvious that a completely satisfactory evidence-based approach is unavailable no clinical trials of alternative approaches have been undertaken. 

Procarbazine, an antineoplastic agent (2 to 4 mg/kg/day for the first week) in combination with other antineoplastic agents (MOPP regimen—nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone), is indicated in the treatment of stage III and IV Hodgkin s disease. Procarbazine inhibits the synthesis of protein RNA and DNA (see also Figure 15). 

A few important nitrogen mustards used as antineoplastic agents are discussed below, for instance Mechlorethamine hydrochloride, Mephalan, Cyclophosphamide and Chlorambucil. 

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