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Other common
name(s): Sehydrin, HS
Scientific/medical
name(s): none
Description
Hydrazine sulfate is a chemical commonly used in industrial
processes, such as rare metal refining and the making of rocket fuel,
rust-prevention products, and insecticides. It is used as an
alternative method to treat some symptoms of advanced cancer. Hydrazine
sulfate is usually produced in a laboratory but does occur naturally in
some plants and mushrooms.
Overview
Most carefully designed clinical studies have not shown that
hydrazine sulfate helps people with cancer live longer or feel better.
Some, but not all, studies have found it may help reduce weight loss in
those with advanced cancer. It may also cause potentially serious side
effects.
How is it promoted for use?
Supporters claim hydrazine sulfate may relieve cachexia, a
syndrome marked by loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness, and muscle
wasting. It is one of the most devastating syndromes resulting from
cancer and conditions such as AIDS. Cachexia affects about half of all
cancer patients, especially those with advanced cancer of the lung,
pancreas, or digestive system. It causes about 10% to 20% of all cancer
deaths.
According to some theories, cancer cachexia is caused by
cancerous tumors using too much energy (in the form of blood sugar),
preventing it from being used for normal body functions. For example,
energy that should be used to maintain muscle mass is redirected to the
tumor. Supporters claim that hydrazine sulfate may block a key enzyme
that controls blood sugar levels in the body, restoring the proper
energy balance and halting the progressive decline of cachexia.
There are also claims that hydrazine sulfate might affect the
cancer itself. By affecting blood sugar levels, it may help prevent
tumors from getting more fuel to grow.
What does it involve?
Hydrazine sulfate is usually given as a pill or capsule. It
can also be injected. A common dose is 60 milligrams (mg), 3 times a
day for 35 to 40 days. Treatment is then stopped for 2 to 6 weeks. This
cycle can be repeated many times.
Hydrazine sulfate is not approved for use with cancer patients
in the United States. Doctors can obtain it through the investigational
new drug (IND) program of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In Canada, hydrazine sulfate is available by prescription. It is widely
used in Europe and in Russia, where it is known as Sehydrin.
What is the history behind it?
Different hydrazine compounds have been studied for more than
90 years as a treatment for cancer and to reduce the symptoms
associated with cancer such as weight loss, fatigue, muscle wasting,
and decreased appetite. One hydrazine compound, procarbazine, is
approved by the FDA for use against cancer.
Hydrazine sulfate was popularized as an unconventional cancer
treatment in the mid-1970s by a cancer researcher, Joseph Gold, MD,
director of the Syracuse Cancer Research Institute in New York. He
based his ideas on the research of Otto Warburg, winner of the Nobel
Prize in Medicine in 1931. Dr. Gold reported that hydrazine sulfate
inhibited the growth of tumors in rodents as well as in people with
advanced cancer. He recommended its use for people with several kinds
of cancer including cancer of the breast, colon and rectum, ovary,
lung, and thyroid, Hodgkin disease and other lymphomas, melanomas, and
neuroblastomas. He believed it would be most effective used with
conventional cancer treatments .
Hydrazine sulfate was a popular alternative cancer treatment
in the United States until the FDA stopped companies from selling it
directly to the public in the mid-1970s.
Several studies were conducted in the 1980s and 1990s using
hydrazine sulfate with chemotherapy (see next section).
What is the evidence?
Studies show that hydrazine sulfate has many effects in the
body. However, research has produced conflicting results. Some studies
have found that hydrazine sulfate inhibits the growth of cancerous
tumors in laboratory animals, while others report that the chemical can
damage DNA and trigger the development of tumors. It also may promote
the growth of existing tumors. Some early laboratory studies found that
hydrazine sulfate increased the occurrence of tumors in some animals.
It is still unclear whether hydrazine sulfate causes or contributes to
the development of cancer in humans.
One reason offered to support the use of hydrazine
sulfate—that cachexia occurs because cancer cells use too
much energy—is inconsistent with the way cachexia is now
understood to work. Cachexia is a complex process and is caused largely
by cancer cells releasing hormones and other substances that influence
the function of normal cells.
Research on hydrazine sulfate in humans has not been
encouraging. Several randomized clinical trials found that hydrazine
sulfate treatment did not reduce the size of tumors or increase patient
survival time. Some patients reported feeling better for brief periods
during treatment with hydrazine sulfate, including reports of less
pain, lower fever, and increased appetite. Other studies reported that
patients treated with the chemical had more normal glucose metabolism,
weight gain, and improved appetite. Some patients developed feelings of
well-being after nearly 6 months of therapy.
A 1990 study of 65 patients with advanced lung cancer found
that adding hydrazine sulfate to their chemotherapy regimen improved
their nutritional status. Patients consumed more calories and showed
other positive metabolic changes. Patients who started the study in
better condition and were given hydrazine sulfate lived longer than
those taking a placebo. Among those who started in worse condition,
hydrazine sulfate did not improve survival. Based on this study, the
National Cancer Institute (NCI) felt that further studies with more
patients were needed.
Reports published in 1994 based on 3 studies sponsored by NCI
described outcomes of a total of 636 patients. Two studies looked at
advanced lung cancer patients who also were receiving chemotherapy. The
third study was limited to patients with advanced colorectal cancer not
receiving chemotherapy. In all 3 studies, patients were randomly chosen
to receive hydrazine sulfate or a placebo. None of these
well-controlled studies showed that hydrazine sulfate provided a
benefit to cancer patients. Nerve damage occurred more often and
quality of life was worse among the group receiving hydrazine sulfate.
In the colorectal cancer study, survival was shorter in the hydrazine
sulfate group. After the studies were published, supporters of
hydrazine sulfate claimed that the studies were flawed because some of
the patients were getting other drugs (such as tranquilizers) that
could alter the drug's effectiveness. A review by the U.S. General
Accounting Office, a federal agency, found that the studies were done
correctly and that their conclusions were valid.
Are there any possible problems or
complications?
This substance
may not have been thoroughly tested to find out how it interacts with
medicines, foods, or dietary supplements. Even though some reports of
interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of
interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these
limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions below
should be considered incomplete.
Side effects are uncommon but can include mild to moderate
levels of nausea, vomiting, itching, dizziness, poor motor
coordination, and/or tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.
Hydrazine sulfate is a moderate monoamine oxidase inhibitor
(MAOI). It should not be taken with certain anti-anxiety medicines,
cough suppressants (such as dextromethorphan), stimulants
(amphetamines), antidepressants, tranquilizers, barbiturates, alcohol,
or foods high in tyramine (for example, aged cheeses and fermented
products), as it could lead to very high blood pressure levels and
other potential harm.
At very high doses hydrazine sulfate may cause liver damage.
People with diabetes should use hydrazine sulfate with caution, as it
may affect blood sugar levels. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding
should not use this therapy. Hydrazine sulfate increases development of
some forms of cancer in laboratory animals and has been classified as a
potential carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
Relying on this type of treatment alone, and avoiding or
delaying conventional medical care for cancer, may have serious health
consequences.
Additional Resources
More information from your American Cancer
Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be found on
our Web site (www.cancer.org)
or ordered from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Chlebowski RT, Bulcavage L, Grosvenor M, et al. Hydrazine
sulfate influence on nutritional status and survival in non-small-cell
lung cancer. J Clin
Oncol. 1990;8:9-15.
Kaegi E. Unconventional therapies for cancer: 4. Hydrazine
sulfate. Task Force on Alternative Therapies of the Canadian Breast
Cancer Research Initiative. CMAJ.
1998;158:1327-1330. Accesssed at: www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/158/10/1327
on Accessed June 11, 2008.
Kosty MP, Fleishman SB, Herndon JE II, et al. Cisplatin,
vinblastine, and hydrazine sulfate in advanced, non-small-cell lung
cancer: a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind phase III study
of the Cancer and Leukemia Group B. J Clin Oncol.
1994;12:1113-1120.
Loprinzi CL, Kuross SA, O'Fallon JR, et al. Randomized
placebo-controlled evaluation of hydrazine sulfate in patients with
advanced colorectal cancer. J
Clin Oncol. 1994;12:1121-1125.
Loprinzi CL, Goldberg RM, Su JQ, et al. Placebo-controlled
trial of hydrazine sulfate in patients with newly diagnosed
non-small-cell lung cancer. J
Clin Oncol.1994;12:1126-1129.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. About Herbs: Hydrazine
Sulfate. 2006. Accessed at: www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69260.cfm on June
11, 2008.
Morley JE. Thomas DR. Wilson MM. Cachexia: pathophysiology and
clinical relevance. Am
J Clinl Nutr. 83(4):735-743, 2006
National Cancer Institute Physician Data Query (PDQ).
Hydrazine sulfate. 2005. Accessed at:
www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/hydrazinesulfate/HealthProfessional/page1
on June 11, 2008.
Tisdale MJ. Biology of cachexia. J Natl Cancer Inst.
1997;89:1763-1773.
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Hydrazine
Sulfate Detailed Scientific Review. 2007. Accessed at:
http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/cimer/display.cfm?id=AD1A435D-17B1-11D5-811000508B603A14&method=displayFull&pn=6EB86A59-EBD9-11D4-810100508B603A14
on June 11, 2008.
Note:
This
information may not cover all possible claims, uses, actions,
precautions, side effects or interactions. It is not intended as
medical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for
consultation with your doctor, who is familiar with your medical
situation.
Last Medical Review: 11/01/2008
Last Revised: 11/01/2008
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