Others Pentoxifylline, a methylxanthine derivative, is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that inhibits TNF-a synthesis by decreasing gene transcription.88 A randomized, controlled trial in patients with solid tumors, however, showed no increase in appetite or body weight gain among patients taking pentoxifylline (400 mg three times daily for two months) compared with patients receiving placebo.142 Hydrazine sulfate inhibits phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase, a key enzyme in gluconeogenesis.6 It was hoped that interrupting the Cori cycle would normalize some aspects of carbohydrate metabolism in cachectic cancer patients. However, large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials did not show any benefit in advanced lung and colorectal cancer patients.143-145 Based on its lack of efficacy and significant neurotoxicity, hydrazine sulfate is not used by mainstream oncologists, although it is still promoted by some alternative medicine practitioners. Anabolic steroids increase muscle mass in noncancer patients, and this has led to their illicit use for athletic advantage. Nandrolone decanoate treatment resulted in a decrease in weight loss in patients with lung cancer.146 However, in a large, randomized, controlled trial comparing megestrol acetate versus dexamethasone versus fluoxymesterone for the treatment of cancer cachexia, fluoxymesterone was clearly inferior.147 References for Hydrazine Sulfate: 6. Barber MD, Ross JA, Fearon KC. Cancer cachexia. Surg Oncol 1999;8:133-141. 143. Loprinzi CL, Kuross SA, O’Fallon JR, et al. Randomized placebo-controlled evaluation of hydrazine sulfate in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 1994;12:1121-1125. 144. Loprinzi CL, Goldberg RM, Su JQ, et al. Placebo-controlled trial of hydrazine sulfate in patients with newly diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 1994;12:1126-1129. 145. Kosty MP, Fleishman SB, Herndon JE 2nd, et al. Cisplatin, vinblastine, and hydrazine sulfate in advanced, non-small-cell lung cancer: A randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind phase III study of the cancer and leukemia Group B. J Clin Oncol 1994;12:1113-1120. Ann's NOTE: I had a conversation with Dr. Charles Loprinzi about the negative results of hydrazine sulfate. He publicly stated (at ASCO-CAM, 2002, see our summary under Meeting Summaries page), that 'they' did not know that hydrazine sulfate was an MAO inhibitor. This fact had strong implications for medications and foods that people in the study would need to avoid. No patient was told that and many died during the study. Yet Loprinzi published papers indicating that hydrazine sulfate did not work, knowing that a vital piece of information was missing during the trial/study. Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.