sodium norcantharidate

Sodium norcantharidate is a synthetic, demethylated derivative of cantharidin, the active principle of the blister beetle *Mylabris*. It is primarily developed and marketed in China as an antineoplastic agent for the treatment of various malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma, esophageal cancer, and gastric cancer. A distinguishing feature of sodium norcantharidate compared to other cytotoxic agents is its ability to stimulate the production of white blood cells, which allows it to be used to treat or prevent leukopenia induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Its primary mechanism of action is the inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which leads to the activation of signaling pathways that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in tumor cells.

Other names

disodium norcantharidatenorcantharidin sodiumsodium demethylcantharidate