1,8-Dihydroxyanthraquinone

1,8-Dihydroxyanthraquinone

Systematic (IUPAC) name
1,8-dihydroxyanthracene-9,10-dione
Clinical data
Pregnancy cat.	?
Legal status	?
Routes	Oral, rectal (enema)
Identifiers
CAS number	117-10-2 Y
ATC code	A06AB03 A06AB53 A06AG03
PubChem	CID 2950
DrugBank	DB04816
ChemSpider	2845 Y
UNII	Z4XE6IBF3V Y
KEGG	D07107 N
ChEBI	CHEBI:3682 Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL53418 Y
Chemical data
Formula	C14H8O4
Mol. mass	240.211 g/mol
SMILES	eMolecules & PubChem
InChI InChI=1S/C14H8O4/c15-9-5-1-3-7-11(9)14(18)12-8(13(7)17)4-2-6-10(12)16/h1-6,15-16H Y Key:QBPFLULOKWLNNW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
N(what is this?)  (verify)

1,8-Dihydroxyanthraquinone is an organic substance with formula C₁₄H₈O₄, formally derived from anthraquinone by the replacement of two hydrogen atoms by hydroxyl groups (OH). It is used in some countries as a stimulant laxative, under the generic names dantron or chrysazin.

It should not be confused with ondansetron, an unrelated drug that was marketed in South Africa uder the trade name "Dantron".

Medical uses

In the USA, dantron is not used because it is considered to be a carcinogen.^[1]

In the UK it is considered a possible carcinogen and so its licence is restricted to patients who already have a diagnosis of terminal cancer (i.e. it is mainly used in palliative care to counteract the constipating effects of opioids) Its British Approved Name was Danthron, but it has now been changed to "dantron", the recommended International Nonproprietary Name.^[2]

Dantron has the notable side-effect of causing red-coloured urine.

See also

• Hydroxyanthraquinone
• Rhein (molecule)

References

1. ^ Danthron substance profile at the National Toxicology Program website
2. ^ British National Formulary website (requires free registration)