Potentiation in vivo of melphalan activity by nitroimidazole compounds

Abstract Many nitroimidazole compounds have been shown to potentiate the activity of melphalan against the murine anaplastic MT tumor. The degree of potentiation achieved by these compounds probably depends on their octanol-water partition coefficient and electron affinity: for the greater the partition coefficient or electron affinity, the greater the potentiation. The mechanism of this potentiation remains uncertain. However, it is not due to either nitroimidazole-induced hypothermia, or to the elimination of the recovery from melphalan-induced potentially lethal damage (PLD).