Which pharmacological class does chlorambucil belong to?

Chlorambucil is classified as an alkylating agent, a group of drugs that work by adding an alkyl group to the DNA of cancer cells, leading to cross-linking of DNA strands. This action interferes with the cell's ability to divide and proliferate, making alkylating agents effective in treating various types of cancer, particularly hematologic malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and certain types of lymphomas. The unique property of alkylating agents is their ability to target actively dividing cells, but they can also affect resting cells, which is a characteristic feature of this pharmacological class.

This distinction is crucial because it differentiates chlorambucil from other classes such as antimetabolites, which mimic the building blocks of DNA and interfere with nucleic acid synthesis, corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation and suppress the immune response, and antibiotics, which target bacterial infections. The effectiveness and mechanism of action of chlorambucil underpin its classification as an alkylating agent.