Chemotherapeutic agent

Among chemotherapeutics (Singular: chemotherapeutic agent ) refers to two types of low molecular weight , naturally occurring or synthetically produced chemical compounds to selectively possible damage to body cells or pathogens are used:

• Drugs in cancer therapy that inhibit cell growth (see cytostatic )
• Compounds that are used as so-called anti-infectives ( antibiotics , antituberculotics , virustatics , antimycotics , anthelmintics and others) against microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa) and worms. The first chemotherapy drug in the world was the arsenic preparation Salvarsan .

Treatment with chemotherapy drugs is called chemotherapy .