title: Degradation and inactivation of antitumor drugs.
abstract: Chemical methods for the degradation of 11 antineoplastic drugs [etoposide, teniposide, bleomycin, mitomycin C, cisplatin, cis-dichloro-trans-dihydroxy-bis(isopropylamine) platinum IV (CHIP), cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, carmustine, lomustine, and methotrexate] were investigated. The success of the degradation procedures was assessed by HPLC and degree of biological inactivation by mutagenicity assays. The most widely applicable procedure was oxidation with potassium permanganate or 5.25% sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach). Oxidation completely degraded and inactivated etoposide, teniposide, bleomycin, mitomycin C, and methotrexate. In addition, oxidation followed by nucleophilic substitution resulted in the complete degradation and inactivation of cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. Although carmustine and lomustine were chemically degraded by treatment with acidic potassium permanganate, the resulting reaction mixtures remained mutagenic. Therefore, this procedure cannot be recommended. The platinum-containing compounds, cisplatin and CHIP, were rendered nonmutagenic by reaction with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate. These easily performed, relatively safe procedures can be used to prevent exposure to mutagenic wastes and spills in the hospital setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Benvenuto
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Monteith
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Laidlaw
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Matney
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Theiss
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010601:Pharmacology, Clinical / Q000592:standards; D011196:Potassium Permanganate / Q000737:chemistry; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D011196:Potassium Permanganate; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite