Dihydroxyurea

Abstract

SEVERAL derivatives of hydroxylamine¹, including hydroxyurethane, N-methylhydroxylamine and hydroxy-aminoacetic acid, cause chromosome abnormalities in mouse embryo and Chinese hamster cells similar to those induced by hydroxylamine². Similar chromosomal abnormalities are also induced in anaphase and metaphase chromosomes of the root tips of Vicia faba by hydroxylamine, methyl-, ethyl-, n-propyl-, and n-butyl-N-hydroxycarbamates (S. H. Revell and K. S. Peggie, personal communication). Urethane appears to produce many radiomimetic effects through the metabolite N-hydroxyurethane to which it is converted by animals³. Although urea and urethane are inactive in these systems, hydroxy-urea¹ and N-hydroxyurethane³ are active; hydroxyurea is also an anti-tumour agent which is active against the L1210 leukæmia in mice⁴. It has been proposed^1,3,5,6 that these hydroxylamino derivatives may exercise their effects by a common chemical mechanism involving the production of nitroxyl or hydroxylamine in vivo.