fluorouracil + metronidazole

This is a combination of two small molecule drugs, fluorouracil and metronidazole. Fluorouracil is an antimetabolite and pyrimidine analog that inhibits DNA synthesis by blocking thymidylate synthetase, leading to impaired cell division and cancer cell death. Metronidazole is a nitroimidazole antibiotic with antibacterial and antiparasitic activity; it also inhibits the metabolism of fluorouracil, increasing its blood levels. The combination has been investigated for use in metastatic colorectal cancer but was found to significantly increase the toxicity of fluorouracil without improving efficacy due to reduced clearance of fluorouracil when administered with metronidazole[1][3][5]. This combination should generally be avoided except under special circumstances due to the risk of enhanced toxicity[2][3].

Other names

5-fluorouracil + metronidazole5-FU + MND