Therapeutic Index

ALPHEN^TM injection - Medicine Guide

ALPHEN^TM injection (Al-peh-en injection) is a medicine which is used in malignant melanoma, multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma, treatment of ovarian cancer and treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. ALPHEN TM injection contains melphalan hydrochloride. It is made by Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited.

ALPHEN^TM (melphalan), also known as L-phenylalanine mustard, phenylalanine mustard, L-PAM, or L-sarcolysin, is a phenylalanine derivative of nitrogen mustard. Melphalan is a bifunctional alkylating agent which is active against selective human neoplastic diseases. It is known chemically as 4-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]-L-phenylalanine. The molecular formula is C13H18Cl2N2O2 and the molecular weight is 305.20. The structural formula is:

Each Injection contians:

Composition:

Melphalan Hydrochloride for Injection
Melphalan   50 mg

An alkylating agent adds an alkyl group (CnH2n+1) to DNA. It attaches the alkyl group to the guanine base of DNA, at the number 7 nitrogen atom of the imidazole ring.

Otherwise known as L-Phenylalanine Mustard, or L-PAM, melphalan is a phenylalanine derivative of mechlorethamine.

Indications:

Breast carcinoma, multiple myeloma, advanced ovarian carcinoma, other neoplasms in combination with surgery. Malignant melanoma, polycythaemia vera.

Uses

It is used to treat multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer, and occasionally malignant melanoma.

The agent was first investigated as a possible drug for use in melanoma. It was not found to be effective, but has been found to be effective in the treatment of myeloma.
 

Description:

Melphalan also known as L-phenylalanine mustard, phenylalanine mustard, L-PAM or L-sarcolysin, is a phenylalanine derivative of nitrogen mustard. Melphalan is a bifunctional alkylating agent which is active against selective human neoplastic diseases. It is known chemically as 4-[bis(2-chloroethyl) amino]-L-phenylalanine. The molecular formula is C13H18Cl2N2O2 and the molecular weight is 305.20. Melphalan is the active L-isomer of the compound and was first synthesized in 1953 by Bergel and Stock; the D isomer, known as medphalan, is less active against certain animal tumors, and the dose needed to produce effects on chromosomes is larger than that required with the L-isomer.
 

 

CONTRAINDICATIONS

ALPHEN should not be used in patients whose disease has demonstrated a prior resistance to this agent. Patients who have demonstrated hypersensitivity to melphalan should not be given the drug.

Dosage :

Adults: Multiple myeloma: Usual oral dose 6mg/day. Maintenance dose 2mg/day.

Children: Multiple myeloma: 0.15mg/kg/day for 7 days. Maintenance dose 0.05mg/kg/day when WBC/platelets count are rising. Ovarian carcinoma: 0.2mg/kg/day for 5 days. Repeat course after 4-5 weeks. 

Presentations:            

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