Definition

1. Noun:
   • A toxic antimetabolite drug: Methotrexate is a medication that interferes with the growth and reproduction of cells by acting as an antagonist to folic acid. It is primarily used to treat certain types of cancer, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor prescribed methotrexate to manage her rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Methotrexate is a key component of many chemotherapy regimens for leukemia.
  • Due to its potency, the dosage of methotrexate must be carefully monitored.

Advanced Usage

• "Methotrexate therapy": Refers to a treatment regimen involving this drug.
  • She has been on methotrexate therapy for her psoriasis for six months.
• "High-dose methotrexate": Used in specific cancer treatments, requiring special medical support to manage toxicity.
  • The protocol includes high-dose methotrexate followed by leucovorin rescue.

Variants and Related Words

• MTX: A common abbreviation for methotrexate.
  • The patient's chart noted the administration of MTX.
• Aminopterin: A closely related antimetabolite drug.
• Antimetabolite (n): A class of drugs to which methotrexate belongs, which interfere with metabolic processes.

Synonyms

• Amethopterin: An older, less common name for methotrexate.

Notes on Meaning

• Primary Medical Use: While its core definition is as a toxic antimetabolite, its primary contextual meaning is as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for autoimmune conditions and a chemotherapeutic agent for cancers.
• Mechanism: Its action is specifically as a folic acid antagonist, inhibiting the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase.

Noun

1. toxic antimetabolite that limits cellular reproduction by acting as an antagonist to folic acid; used to treat certain cancers and psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis