Metrazol enhances brain penetration and therapeutic efficacy of some anticancer agents: implications for brain metastases.

The concurrent administration of Metrazol (60 mg/kg, i.v.) to anaesthetized rats enhances the cerebral penetration of the anticancer agent razoxane. Such an enhancement leads to an increase in the therapeutic efficacy of razoxane against intracerebrally sequestered L1210 leukaemia cells in mice. The combination of Metrazol and melphalan was also examined to see if the concentration of other anticancer agents in CSF could be enhanced.