Hydrazine Sulfate

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For Patients & Caregivers

How It Works

Hydrazine sulfate is not an approved cancer treatment. It has been shown to increase the incidence of some cancers.

Hydrazine sulfate is a chemical used in industrial manufacturing of agricultural chemicals and rocket fuel. Supporters of this therapy make the false claim that hydrazine sulfate limits the ability of tumor cells to make glucose, an important source of their energy, from body stores. In theory, this would also prevent the accelerated breakdown of protein in the body that causes cachexia (wasting) in patients with advanced cancer. However, this effect has never been shown in humans. Hydrazine sulfate was able to inhibit the growth of some tumors in laboratory animals when used alone or with chemotherapy drugs, but this effect has also not been shown in humans. Furthermore, hydrazine sulfate has been shown to increase the incidence of breast, lung, and liver cancers and basal cell carcinoma.

Hydrazine sulfate is commercially available in the United States, but it is illegal to use it as a cancer therapy. It is classified as a potential carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Purported Uses

To prevent wasting (cachexia), maintain weight, and increase appetite in patients with advanced cancer
There is no scientific evidence to support this use.
To treat cancer
Clinical trials do not support this use, and one actually showed that hydrazine sulfate was worse than no treatment at all.

Side Effects

Nausea
Itching
Dizziness
Sedation
Peripheral neuropathies
Low blood sugar
Insomnia

Case Reports

Isolated cases of liver and kidney failure and brain damage.
Multiple basal cell carcinomas in a 68-year-old man following extensive exposure to hydrazine sulfate.

For Healthcare Professionals

Clinical Summary

A synthetic chemical (H₄N₂-H₂SO₄) primarily used in industrial manufacturing such as agricultural chemicals and rocket fuel, hydrazine sulfate has been purported to treat cancer, help maintain or gain weight, and ameliorate cancer-related cachexia. It is thought to interfere with gluconeogenesis via the inhibition of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase ⁽¹⁾. It has moderate monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO-I) activity ⁽³⁾.

Animal studies suggest that hydrazine is carcinogenic. In addition, several large randomized clinical trials failed to show significant benefit from hydrazine supplementation ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁹⁾ to alleviate cancer-related cachexia ⁽¹⁰⁾ or to improve cancer survival.

Hydrazine sulfate is classified as a potential carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Potential adverse effects include nausea, pruritus, dizziness, peripheral neuropathies, hypoglycemia, and insomnia ⁽⁴⁾. Case reports have detailed fatal hepatorenal failure ⁽⁵⁾ and encephalopathy ⁽⁶⁾.

Purported Uses

Cancer treatment
Cancer-related cachexia
Weight gain
Weight maintenance

Mechanism of Action

Hydrazine sulfate is thought to inhibit phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, an enzyme involved with the Cori cycle for gluconeogenesis from anaerobically metabolized lactic acid. Hydrazine therapy is used to antagonize the inappropriate activation of gluconeogenesis pathways, reduce excessive gluconeogenesis, and improve glucose tolerance particularly in patients with cancer and cancer-related cachexia ⁽¹⁾. Hydrazine also has been shown to be a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor ⁽³⁾. Inhibition and stabilization of glioblastoma cell growth was seen in vitro and in animal models ⁽⁴⁾, but significance in humans is unknown. Hydrazine sulfate appears to have no effect on prostate cancer cell lines in vitro ⁽²⁾.

Adverse Reactions

Common: Nausea, pruritus, dizziness, sedation, peripheral neuropathies, hypoglycemia, insomnia ⁽⁴⁾

Case reports

Hepatorenal failure (5) and encephalopathy (6) with use of hydrazine sulfate.
Multiple basal cell carcinoma was associated with extensive exposure to hydrazine sulfate in a 68-year-old man (11).

Dosage (OneMSK Only)

References

Kaegi E. Unconventional therapies for cancer: 4. Hydrazine sulfate. The Task Force on Alternative Therapies of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative. CMAJ 1998;158:1327-30.
Kamradt JM, Pienta KJ. The effect of hydrazine sulfate on prostate cancer growth. Oncol Rep 1998;5:919-21.
Chlebowski RT, et al. Hydrazine sulfate: clinical pharmacokinetics and influence on in vitro growth of human glioblastoma cell lines. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 1985;26:1002.
Hydrazine sulfate (PDQ). Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/hydrazinesulfate/healthprofessional. Accessed October 31, 2012.
Hainer MI, et al. Fatal hepatorenal failure associated with hydrazine sulfate. Ann Intern Med 2000;133:877-80.
Nagappan R, Riddel T. Pyridoxine therapy in a patient with severe hydrazine sulfate toxicity. Crit Care Med 2000;28:2116-8.
Kosty MP, 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;12:1113-20.
Loprinzi CL, et al. Placebo-controlled trial of hydrazine sulfate in patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 1994;12:1126-9.
Loprinzi CL, et al. Randomized placebo-controlled evaluation of hydrazine sulfate in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 1994;12:1121-5.
Chlebowski RT, et al. Hydrazine sulfate in cancer patients with weight loss. A placebo-controlled clinical experience. Cancer 1987;59:406-10.
Aigner BA, Darsow U, Grosber M, Ring J, Plötz SG. Multiple basal cell carcinomas after long-term exposure to hydrazine: case report and review of the literature. Dermatology. 2010;221(4):300-2.

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Last Updated

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Hydrazine Sulfate

Hydrazine Sulfate

Common Names

For Patients & Caregivers

For Healthcare Professionals

Last Updated