CAS 696-04-8: Dihydrothymine

5,6-Dihydro-5-methyluracil

5,6-Dihydro-5-methyluracil

5,6-Dihydro-5-methyluracil, is used as an active pharmaceutical ingredient. This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.

Applications 5,6-Dihydrothymine is a derivative of Thymine, a nucleobase in the nucleic acid of DNA . 5,6-Dihydrothymine is a radiolysis product of DNA. References Hubbard, K. et al.: Biochemistry, 28, 4382 (1989); Cadet, J. et al.: Int. J. Rad. Biol. Rel. Stud. Phys. Chem. Med., 39, 119 (1981);

5,6-Dihydro-5-methyluracil (Dihydrothymine) is an intermediate breakdown product of thymine.

5,6-Dihydrothymine is a metabolic precursor to thymine. It has been shown to inhibit the production of DNA and RNA in cells, which causes cellular transformation. 5,6-Dihydrothymine also inhibits enzyme activity by competing with substrates or by forming covalent bonds with the enzyme. This drug has been found to be genotoxic and may cause cancer, but it can also be used for diagnosis and treatment of radiation-induced genetic damage. The drug is an oral prodrug that is hydrolyzed in the gastrointestinal tract to release thymine. 5,6-Dihydrothymine is used for molecular pathogenesis studies on solid tumours, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.