NCIt definition : The hydrochloride form of cytarabine, an antimetabolite analogue of cytidine with
a modified sugar moiety (arabinose instead of ribose). Cytarabine is converted to
the triphosphate form within the cell and then competes with cytidine for incorporation
into DNA. Because the arabinose sugar sterically hinders the rotation of the molecule
within DNA, DNA replication ceases, specifically during the S phase of the cell cycle.
This agent also inhibits DNA polymerase, resulting in a decrease in DNA replication
and repair.;