Hydroxyurea

**Semantic type:** Organic Chemical|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A monohydroxyl-substituted urea (hydroxycarbamate) antimetabolite. Hydroxyurea selectively inhibits ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, an enzyme required to convert ribonucleoside diphosphates into deoxyribonucleoside diphosphates, thereby preventing cells from leaving the G1/S phase of the cell cycle. This agent also exhibits radiosensitizing activity by maintaining cells in the radiation-sensitive G1 phase and interfering with DNA repair. (NCI04)

**Synonyms:** - Droxia - HYDROXYUREA - Hydrea - Hydrea - Hydroxycarbamide - Hydroxycarbamide - Litalir - Litalir - Onco-Carbide - Onco-carbide - Oncocarbide - Oxeron - SQ 1089 - SQ-1089 - Syrea - WR 83799 - hydroxyurea