NCIt definition : A prodrug of a bifunctional alkylating, dinitrobenzamide derivative with antineoplastic
activity. Tretazicar can be activated by the human enzyme quinone oxidoreductase 2
(NQO2) in the presence of the cosubstrate caricotamide, an analogue of the natural
cosubstrate dihydronicotinamide riboside (NRH), which acts as an electron donor. The
resulting active, but short-lived metabolite, dinitrobenzamide, leads to DNA replication
inhibition and the induction of apoptosis in NQO2 expressing cancer cells. Due to
the lack of the natural cosubstrate NRH, NQO2 expression is normally latent but is
upregulated in certain types of tumor cells.;