uracil

Uracil is a naturally occurring pyrimidine nucleobase found in RNA, where it pairs with adenine. As a drug, uracil is primarily used as an antineoplastic agent in combination with tegafur (as the oral chemotherapy formulation tegafur/uracil or UFT) for the treatment of various cancers, including breast, prostate, liver, and bowel cancer. In this context, uracil acts as a competitive inhibitor of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), the enzyme responsible for metabolizing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). By inhibiting DPD, uracil increases the bioavailability and efficacy of 5-FU derived from its prodrug tegafur. This mechanism allows for more effective oral administration of 5-FU-based chemotherapy while reducing gastrointestinal toxicity compared to direct 5-FU administration[1][4][5].

Brand names

Xyfid

Other names

uracil