Epirubicin

Epirubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic and is the 4'-epimer of doxorubicin. It can intercalate between the two strands of DNA, disrupting the normal helical structure of DNA and interfering with DNA and RNA synthesis, thereby impairing cell cycle progression and replication-related processes. Epirubicin also inhibits the ligation activity of topoisomerase II, an enzyme responsible for temporarily cleaving and rejoining DNA during replication. It stabilizes the DNA-enzyme cleavage complex and prevents DNA re-ligation, leading to the accumulation of double-stranded DNA breaks and triggering apoptosis. Epirubicin can also promote free radical generation.