mercaptopurine

English

Chemical structure of mercaptopurine

Alternative forms

• 6-mercaptopurine

Etymology

From mercapto- +‎ purine.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /mɜːˌkap.tə(ʊ)ˈp(j)ʊə.ɹiːn/, /mɜːˌkap.tə(ʊ)ˈpjɔː.ɹiːn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /mɚˌkæp.təˈpjʊɹˌin/

Noun

mercaptopurine (countable and uncountable, plural mercaptopurines)

1. (pharmacology) An thiol antimetabolite C₅H₄N₄S that interferes especially with the metabolism of purine bases and the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and that is sometimes used in the treatment of acute leukemia.

References

• “mercaptopurine”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “mercaptopurine”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.