(RS)-eflornithine
Also known as 2-(difluoromethyl)ornithine (DMFO), difluoromethylornithine, Ornidyl®, Difluoromethylornithine；DFMO, 2-(difluoromethyl)ornithine, (RS)-2,5-diamino-2-(difluoromethyl)pentanoic acid, Eflornithine, DFMO
Eflornithine, sold under the brand name Ornidyl among others, is a medication used to treat African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and excessive hair growth on the face in women. Specifically it is used for the second stage of sleeping sickness caused by T. b. gambiense and may be used with nifurtimox. It is taken intravenously (injection into a vein) or topically. It is an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor.
Key facts
- Drug.Verifiedfields
- changed
- Drug.verifiedrevid
- 458957274
- Drug.image
- Eflornithine.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.width
- 200
- Drug.image2
- Eflornithine-3D-vdW.png
- Drug.tradename
- Ornidyl, others
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Eflornithine
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- intravenous, topical
- Drug.ATC_prefix
- D11
- Drug.ATC_suffix
- AX16
- Drug.ATC_supplemental
- ,
- Drug.legal_US
~15 min read
Article
27 sectionsContents
- Medical uses
- Sleeping sickness
- Trypanosome resistance
- Excess facial hair in women
- Neuroblastoma
- Contraindications
- Topical
- Oral administration
- Side effects
- Topical
- Intravenous
- Interactions
- Topical
- Mechanism of action
- Description
- Evidence
- Active site
- History
- Sleeping sickness treatment
- Society and culture
- Legal status
- Brand names
- Research
- Chemo preventative therapy
- Veterinary uses
- References
- External links
Eflornithine, sold under the brand name Ornidyl among others, is a medication used to treat African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and excessive hair growth on the face in women. Specifically it is used for the second stage of sleeping sickness caused by T. b. gambiense and may be used with nifurtimox. It is taken intravenously (injection into a vein) or topically. It is an ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor.
Common side effects when applied as a cream include rash, redness, and burning. Side effects of the injectable form include bone marrow suppression, vomiting, and seizures. It is unclear if it is safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It is recommended typically for children over the age of 12.