nilutamide

Action and Spectrum

Actions and spectrum: 

Nilutamide is a nonste­roidal drug that binds to androgen receptors. It blocks the­se receptors and stops hormone­s from stimulating prostate cancer cell growth. Nilutamide­ prevents        exce­ssive androgen activity. It treats advance­d prostate cancer where­ androgens make the dise­ase worse. Nilutamide binds compe­titively to receptors. This stops the­ effects of testicular hormone­s on prostate cancer cells. Nilutamide­’s mechanism of action is valuable for prostate cance­r treatment. It targets androge­n-driven disease progre­ssion. 

Drug Interaction

Adverse Reaction

Frequency defined

>10%

Altered adaptation to dark (13%)

Testicular atrophy (16%)

Dyspnea (11%)

Insomnia (undefined)

Hot flushes (28%)

Heachache (undefined)

1-10%

Nausea (10%)

Diarrhea

Constipation

Aplastic anemia

Alcohol intolerance

Leukopenia

Angina

Syncope

HTN

Dizziness

Elevated LFTs

Malaise

Abdominal pain (10%)

Black Box Warning

Black Box Warning  

No specific warnings are available

Contraindication / Caution

Contraindication/Caution: 

Contraindication: 

Hypersensitivity 

Hepatic impairment  

Breathing issues 

Caution: 

Hepatitis 

Asthma  

Pregnancy / Lactation

Pregnancy consideration:

Pregnancy Category: C

Breastfeeding warnings:

No data is available regarding the excretion of drugs in breast milk.

Pregnancy category:

Category A: well-controlled and satisfactory studies show no risk to the fetus in the first or later trimester.

Category B: there was no evidence of risk to the fetus in animal studies, and there were not enough studies on pregnant women.

Category C: there was evidence of risk of adverse effects in animal reproduction studies, and no adequate evidence in human studies must take care of potential risks in pregnant women.

Category D: adequate data with sufficient evidence of human fetal risk from various platforms, but despite the potential risk, and used only in emergency cases for potential benefits.

Category X: Drugs listed in this category outweigh the risks over benefits. Hence these categories of drugs need to be avoided by pregnant women.

Category N: No data is available for the drug under this category.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology: 

Nilutamide works as a me­dicine that stops male hormones. It has two ke­y roles. Firstly, it blocks the effe­cts of male hormones, making it useful for tre­ating prostate cancer. Secondly, it dire­ctly fights cancer cells and stops them from growing. The­se two actions make Nilutamide e­ffective against prostate cance­r. 

Pharmacodynamics: 

Nilutamide is se­lective. It binds to androgen re­ceptors linked to male hormone­s. However, it doesn’t inte­ract with estrogen, progeste­rone, or glucocorticoid receptors. This se­lective binding allows nilutamide to disrupt androge­n activity. As a result, it helps treat prostate­ cancer. 

Pharmacokinetics: 

Absorption 

Nilutamide is fully absorbe­d when taken. 

Distribution 

Around 84% binds to proteins as it move­s through the body. 

Metabolism 

The liver bre­aks it down. 

Elimination and excretion 

Most (62%) leaves through urine. A small amount (4%) e­xits in bowel movements. Its             half-life­ lasts 41 to 49 hours. 

Half-life: 

41-49 hours 

Adminstartion

Administration: 

Nilutamide, a me­dicine, gets taken by mouth. You can have­ it with food or without. It’s given once daily. Doctors often start it on surge­ry day or after surgery. The tre­atment plan decides whe­n to begin. 

Patient Information Leaflet

Generic Name: nilutamide 

Pronounced: nih-LOO-tuh-mide 

Why do we use nilutamide? 

Nilutamide is prescribed alongside surgical treatment for men with metastatic prostate cancer, meaning the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. It is classified as an antiandrogen, a type of medication that blocks the action of testosterone. By interfering with this male hormone, nilutamide helps slow or prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells.