mesna

Definition / meaning of mesna

A sulfhydryl compound that is used to reduce the incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis associated with certain chemotherapeutic agents. Mesna is converted to a free thiol compound in the kidney, where it binds to and inactivates acrolein and other urotoxic metabolites of ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide, thereby reducing their toxic effects on the urinary tract during urinary excretion.

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Find More About 'mesna'

Source(s):

The Web site of the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/)

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