UFT 28 CAPSULES

UFT is an anticancer medication composed of a fixed molar ration (1:4) of tegafur and uracil to be administered with calcium folinate. In the body tegafur is converted into 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) the active antineoplastic metabolite. The mechanism of cytotoxicity of 5-FU is thought to be derived from the fact that 5-fluoro-deoxyuridine-monophosphate (FdUMP) the active metabolite of 5-FU competes with deoxyuridine-monophosphate (dUMP) thereby inhibiting thymidylate synthase and subsequently DNA synthesis. Another active metabolite of 5-FU 5-fluorouridine-triphosphate (FUTP) is integrated into cellular RNA inhibiting RNA function. Uracil when combined with tegafur enhances the antitumor activity of 5-FU due to higher 5-FU concentrations in the tumor tissue versus normal surrounding tissue compared with tegafur alone. Calcium folinate enhances the cytotoxicity of 5-FU. The independent actions of uracil and leucovorin calcium provide for dual biomodulation of tegafur.