Velbe
Velbe - General Information
Antitumor alkaloid isolated from Vinca rosea. (Merck, 11th ed.)
Pharmacology of Velbe
Velbe is a vinca alkaloid antineoplastic agent. The vinca alkaloids are structurally similar compounds comprised of 2 multiringed units: vindoline and catharanthine. The vinca alkaloids have become clinically useful since the discovery of their antitumour properties in 1959. Initially, extracts of the periwinkle plant (Catharanthus roseus) were investigated because of putative hypoglycemic properties, but were noted to cause marrow suppression in rats and antileukemic effects in vitro. Velbe has some immunosuppressant effect. The vinca alkaloids are considered to be cell cycle phase-specific.
Velbe for patients
The patient should be warned to report immediately the appearance of sore throat, fever, chills, or sore mouth. Advice should be given to avoid constipation, and the patient should be made aware that alopecia may occur and that jaw pain and pain in the organs containing tumor tissue may occur. The latter is thought possibly to result from swelling of tumor tissue during its response to treatment. Scalp hair will regrow to its pretreatment extent even with continued treatment with vinblastine sulfate. Nausea and vomiting, although not common, may occur. Any other serious medical event should be reported to the physician.
Velbe Interactions
Vinblastine sulfate should not be diluted with solvents that raise or lower the pH of the resulting solution from between 3.5 and 5. Solutions should be made with normal saline (with or without preservative) and should not be combined in the same container with any other chemical. Unused portions of the remaining solutions that do not contain preservatives should be discarded immediately.
The simultaneous oral or intravenous administration of phenytoin and antineoplastic chemotherapy combinations that included vinblastine sulfate has been reported to have reduced blood levels of the anticonvulsant and to have increased seizure activity. Dosage adjustment should be based on serial blood level monitoring. The contribution of vinblastine sulfate to this interaction is not certain. The interaction may result from either reduced absorption of phenytoin or an increase in the rate of its metabolism and elimination.
Caution should be exercised in patients concurrently taking drugs known to inhibit drug metabolism by hepatic cytochrome P450 isoenzymes in the CYP 3A subfamily, or in patients with hepatic dysfunction. Concurrent administration of vinblastine sulfate with an inhibitor of this metabolic pathway (such as erythromycin, doxorubicin, or etoposide) may cause an earlier onset and/or an increased severity of side effects.
Velbe Contraindications
Vinblastine sulfate is contraindicated in patients who have significant granulocytopenia unless this is a result of the disease being treated. It should not be used in the presence of bacterial infection. Such infections must be brought under control prior to the initiation of therapy with vinblastine sulfate.
Additional information about Velbe
Velbe Indication: For treatment of breast cancer, testicular cancer, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, mycosis fungoides, histiocytosis, and Kaposi's sarcoma.
Mechanism Of Action: The antitumor activity of vinblastine is thought to be due primarily to inhibition of mitosis at metaphase through its interaction with tubulin. Velbe binds to the microtubular proteins of the mitotic spindle, leading to crystallization of the microtubule and mitotic arrest or cell death.
Drug Interactions: Not Available
Food Interactions: Not Available
Generic Name: Vinblastine
Synonyms: Not Available
Drug Category: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
Drug Type: Small Molecule; Approved
Other Brand Names containing Vinblastine: Nincaluicolflastine; Rozevin; Velban; Velbe; Vinblastin; Vinblastina [Dcit]; Vinblastine Sulfate; Vinblastinum [Inn-Latin]; Vincaleucoblastin; Vincaleucoblastine; Vincaleukoblastine; Vincoblastine;
Absorption: Not Available
Toxicity (Overdose): Oral, mouse: LD50 = 423 mg/kg; Oral, rat: LD50 = 305 mg/kg.
Protein Binding: 98-99%
Biotransformation: Hepatic. Metabolism of vinblastine has been shown to be mediated by hepatic cytochrome P450 3A isoenzymes.
Half Life: Triphasic: 35 min, 53 min, and 19 hours
Dosage Forms of Velbe: Solution Intravenous
Chemical IUPAC Name: Not Available
Chemical Formula: C46H58N4O9
Vinblastine on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinblastine
Organisms Affected: Humans and other mammals
