aracytidine 5'-monophosphate

Aracytidine 5'-monophosphate (ara-CMP) is a pyrimidine ribonucleoside monophosphate and the phosphorylated metabolite of cytarabine (aracytidine/ara-C). It consists of a phosphate group attached to the nucleoside aracytidine (cytosine arabinoside), which features an arabinose sugar instead of ribose. As a nucleotide analog, it is primarily used in research settings and not as an approved pharmaceutical agent. In cells, ara-CMP can be further phosphorylated to its active triphosphate form (ara-CTP), which incorporates into DNA during replication and inhibits DNA polymerase activity—leading to inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell death. This mechanism underlies the antileukemic effects observed with its parent compound cytarabine[1][3]. Aracytidine 5’-monophosphate itself is not marketed as a drug but serves as an important intermediate in understanding nucleoside analog metabolism.

Other names

1-beta-D-Arabinofuranosylcytosine 5'-phosphatearacytidine 5'-phosphatecytosine arabinose-5'-phosphatecytosine arabinoside 5'MPcytosine arabinoside monophosphate