Tamoxifen

Tamoxifen
Clinical data
Trade namesNolvadex, others[1]
Other namesTMX; ICI-46474
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa682414
License data
Pregnancy
category
Routes of
administration
By mouth
Drug classSelective estrogen receptor modulator
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability~100%[7][8]
Protein binding>99% (albumin)[7][9]
MetabolismLiver (CYP3A4, CYP2C9, CYP2D6)[7][14][10]
MetabolitesN-Desmethyltamoxifen[10][11]
Endoxifen (4-hydroxy-N-desmethyltamoxifen)[10][11]
Afimoxifene (4-hydroxytamoxifen)[10][11]
N,N-Didesmethyltamoxifen[10]
Norendoxifen (4-hydroxy-N,N-didesmethyltamoxifen)[10]
• Others, conjugates[10][12][13]
Elimination half-life5–7 days[7][10]
ExcretionFeces: 65%
Urine: 9%
Identifiers
IUPAC name
  • (Z)-2-[4-(1,2-Diphenylbut-1-enyl)phenoxy]-N,N-dimethylethanamine
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
PDB ligand
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.031.004
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC26H29NO
Molar mass371.524 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
SMILES
  • CN(C)CCOc1ccc(cc1)/C(c2ccccc2)=C(/CC)c3ccccc3
InChI
  • InChI=1S/C26H29NO/c1-4-25(21-11-7-5-8-12-21)26(22-13-9-6-10-14-22)23-15-17-24(18-16-23)28-20-19-27(2)3/h5-18H,4,19-20H2,1-3H3/b26-25- Y
  • Key:NKANXQFJJICGDU-QPLCGJKRSA-N Y
  (verify)

Tamoxifen, sold under the brand name Nolvadex among others, is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used to prevent breast cancer in women and men.[15] It is also being studied for other types of cancer.[15] It has been used for Albright syndrome.[16] Tamoxifen is typically taken daily by mouth for five years for breast cancer.[16]

Serious side effects include a small increased risk of uterine cancer, stroke, vision problems, and pulmonary embolism.[16] Common side effects include irregular periods, weight loss, and hot flashes.[16] It may cause harm to the baby if taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding.[16] It is a selective estrogen-receptor modulator (SERM) and works by decreasing the growth of breast cancer cells.[16][17] It is a member of the triphenylethylene group of compounds.[18]

Tamoxifen was initially made in 1962, by chemist Dora Richardson.[19][20] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[21] Tamoxifen is available as a generic medication.[16] In 2020, it was the 317th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 900 thousand prescriptions.[22][23]

  1. ^ "NCI Drug Dictionary". 2 February 2011. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Tamoxifen Use During Pregnancy". Drugs.com. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Nolvadex Product information". Health Canada. 1 April 2003. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Nolvadex-D Product information". Health Canada. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Tamoxifen citrate tablet, film coated". DailyMed. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Soltamox- tamoxifen citrate liquid". DailyMed. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference MorelloWurz2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference BrennerStevens2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference ChabnerLongo2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Cite error: The named reference Sanchez-SpitmanSwen2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference pmid23962908 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference pmid21451508 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Nagar2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) tablets". DailyMed. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Tamoxifen Citrate". NCI. 26 August 2015. Archived from the original on 4 January 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g "Tamoxifen Citrate". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  17. ^ "Selective estrogen receptor modulators". Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  18. ^ Cano A, Calaf i Alsina J, Duenas-Diez JL, eds. (2006). Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators a New Brand of Multitarget Drugs. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. p. 52. ISBN 9783540347422.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Viviane M 2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Jordan VC (January 2006). "Tamoxifen (ICI46,474) as a targeted therapy to treat and prevent breast cancer". British Journal of Pharmacology. 147 (Suppl 1): S269 – S276. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706399. PMC 1760730. PMID 16402113.
  21. ^ World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
  22. ^ "The Top 300 of 2020". ClinCalc. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  23. ^ "Tamoxifen Citrate - Drug Usage Statistics". ClinCalc. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2022.