Matulane procarbazine hydrochloride 50 mg Capsule, 100-count
🆔 Identity & classification
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🏷️ RxNorm drug class
This medicine belongs to the Alkylating Drug class.
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🏭 Manufacturer & labeler
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🩺 Clinical
Procarbazine is used in combination with other medications to treat certain types of Hodgkins disease (types of cancer that begin in a type of white blood cells that normally fights infection). Procarbazine is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.
Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗- Matulane is a chemotherapy medicine used to treat Stage III and IV Hodgkin's disease — a cancer of the lymphatic system that has spread significantly. It's not taken alone; it's al...
- For most people starting Matulane, yes — nausea and vomiting are the most common side effects, especially in the first week. The dosing approach is actually designed to start lower...
- Are nausea and vomiting going to be a big problem?
- Procarbazine mildly blocks an enzyme called MAO (monoamine oxidase), which normally breaks down certain chemical messengers in your body. Alcohol can cause a severe reaction — flus...
Patient education
Supplement & herbal interactions
Procarbazine may be associated with lower levels of 1 nutrient — worth a chat with your pharmacist, not a cause for alarm.
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Ask a licensed pharmacist directly — free, answered by our team.
💊 What it looks like
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🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients
Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.
💡 Tap an ingredient (hover on desktop) to see what it is and why it’s used.
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UNII 35SW5USQ3G
A synthetic yellow dye used to color medicines. It helps make tablets, capsules, and liquids visually distinct so patients can easily identify their medication.
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UNII H77VEI93A8
A synthetic yellow dye used to color medications. It helps identify the drug and make it visually distinctive, with no effect on how the medicine works.
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UNII 2G86QN327L
Gelatin is a protein derived from animal collagen, commonly used in medicines as a gelling agent and capsule material. It helps create soft or hard capsule shells that hold and release medication, and can also thicken liquid formulations.
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UNII 3OWL53L36A
A natural sugar alcohol derived from seaweed or synthesized in the lab. It's used as a filler to add bulk, a sweetener in sugar-free formulas, and a disintegrant to help tablets break apart in the stomach.
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UNII O8232NY3SJ
A plant-based carbohydrate derived from corn kernels. It acts as a filler to add bulk, a binder to hold ingredients together, and a disintegrant to help the tablet break apart in your stomach for absorption.
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UNII 7SEV7J4R1U
A powder made from a naturally occurring mineral. In medicines, talc works as a glidant and anti-caking agent, helping tablets and capsules flow smoothly during manufacturing and preventing clumping.
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UNII 15FIX9V2JP
Titanium dioxide is a bright white mineral powder commonly used as a colorant and opacifying agent. It makes pills and tablets white or lighter in color and helps make coatings non-transparent.
7 inactive ingredients listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.
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ingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.Inactive ingredient FAQ
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💲 Pricing
A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.
| Price system | Per each | Per package |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly | Not in the retail survey — common for institutional, discontinued, or low-volume packs. | |
| Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo | No recent Medicaid claims on file for this NDC — rare and low-volume NDCs are suppressed in the public data. | |
| Medicare drug plans payPart D · Q2 2026 | $178.95 | $17,894.86 / 100 capsules |
| Medicare Part B allowsASP · J8999 | No ASP payment limit on file for J8999 this quarter. | |
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🧾 Billing & reimbursement
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🔁 Therapeutic equivalents
| Product | Labeler | Pack | NADAC/unit | TE | Status | Price vs. this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matulane 50 mgthis 54482-0054-01 | Leadiant | 100 capsules | — | — | FDA listed | — |
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⏳ Availability & generic status
We did not find an FDA-approved generic match for this exact strength, form and route.
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📊 Medicare Part D spend CMS · PART D · 2026 (Q1)
🔬 Reported adverse events (FAERS)
Top reported reactions
Age at onset
Reporter sex
Serious outcomes
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📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product
| Package NDC | Description | Marketing start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54482-0054-01 You're viewing this | 100 CAPSULE in 1 BOTTLE (54482-054-01) | 1985-12-27 | Active |
🧭 About this NDC listing & data coverage
What data is (and isn’t) available for this NDC — tap to expand
| NDC identity (package / product / labeler codes) | ✓ Available |
| Labeler | ✓ Available |
| Product & package description | ✓ Available |
| Marketing category & status | ✓ Available |
| Active ingredient / dosage form / route | ✓ Available |
| FDA label (SPL via DailyMed) | ✓ Available |
| Package photos | ✓ Available |
| Inactive ingredients (structured) | ✓ Available |
| NADAC pharmacy acquisition price (CMS) | — Not published for this NDC CMS publishes NADAC only for NDCs reported in its retail-pharmacy survey. |
| Orange Book / therapeutic-equivalence data | — Not published for this NDC Applies only to products approved under an NDA/ANDA; many listings are out of scope. |
| HCPCS J-code billing crosswalk | ✓ Available |
| Medicaid utilization (CMS SDUD) | — Not published for this NDC CMS reports utilization only for NDCs with Medicaid claims above its privacy threshold. |
Questions about this listing
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📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL
🚨 Boxed Warning ▾
WARNING It is recommended that MATULANE be given only by or under the supervision of a physician experienced in the use of potent antineoplastic drugs. Adequate clinical and laboratory facilities should be available to patients for proper monitoring of treatment.
🎯 Indications and Usage ▾
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Matulane is indicated for use in combination with other anticancer drugs for the treatment of Stage III and IV Hodgkin's disease. Matulane is used as part of the MOPP (nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone) regimen.
⏱️ Dosage and Administration ▾
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The following doses are for administration of the drug as a single agent. When used in combination with other anticancer drugs, the Matulane dose should be appropriately reduced, eg, in the MOPP regimen, the Matulane dose is 100 mg/m2 daily for 14 days. All dosages are based on the patient's actual weight.
However, the estimated lean body mass (dry weight) is used if the patient is obese or if there has been a spurious weight gain due to edema, ascites or other forms of abnormal fluid retention. Adults: To minimize the nausea and vomiting experienced by a high percentage of patients beginning Matulane therapy, single or divided doses of 2 to 4 mg/kg/day for the first week are recommended. Daily dosage should then be maintained at 4 to 6 mg/kg/day until maximum response is obtained or until the white blood count falls below 4000/cmm or the platelets fall below 100,000/ cmm.
When maximum response is obtained, the dose may be maintained at 1 to 2 mg/kg/day. Upon evidence of hematologic or other toxicity (see PRECAUTIONS section), the drug should be discontinued until there has been satisfactory recovery. After toxic side effects have subsided, therapy may then be resumed at the discretion of the physician, based on clinical evaluation and appropriate laboratory studies, at a dosage of 1 to 2 mg/kg/day.
Pediatric Patients: Very close clinical monitoring is mandatory. Undue toxicity, evidenced by tremors, coma and convulsions, has occurred in a few cases. Dosage, therefore, should be individualized.
The following dosage schedule is provided as a guideline only. Fifty (50) mg per square meter of body surface per day is recommended for the first week. Dosage should then be maintained at 100 mg per square meter of body surface per day until maximum response is obtained or until leukopenia or thrombocytopenia occurs.
When maximum response is attained, the dose may be maintained at 50 mg per square meter of body surface per day. Upon evidence of hematologic or other toxicity (see PRECAUTIONS section), the drug should be discontinued until there has been satisfactory recovery, based on clinical evaluation and appropriate laboratory tests. After toxic side effects have subsided, therapy may then be resumed.
Procedures for proper handling and disposal of anticancer drugs should be considered. Several guidelines on this subject have been published. 1-6 There is no general agreement that all of the procedures recommended in the guidelines are necessary or appropriate.
⛔ Contraindications ▾
CONTRAINDICATIONS Matulane is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the drug or inadequate marrow reserve as demonstrated by bone marrow aspiration. Due consideration of this possible state should be given to each patient who has leukopenia, thrombocytopenia or anemia.
⚠️ Warnings ▾
WARNINGS To minimize CNS depression and possible potentiation, barbiturates, antihistamines, narcotics, hypotensive agents or phenothiazines should be used with caution. Ethyl alcohol should not be used since there may be an Antabuse (disulfiram)-like reaction. Because Matulane exhibits some monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity, sympathomimetic drugs, tricyclic antidepressant drugs (eg, amitriptyline HCI, imipramine HCI) and other drugs and foods with known high tyramine content, such as wine, yogurt, ripe cheese and bananas, should be avoided.
A further phenomenon of toxicity common to many hydrazine derivatives is hemolysis and the appearance of Heinz‑Ehrlich inclusion bodies in erythrocytes. Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Procarbazine hydrochloride can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. While there are no adequate and well‑controlled studies with procarbazine hydrochloride in pregnant women, there are case reports of malformations in the offspring of women who were exposed to procarbazine hydrochloride in combination with other antineoplastic agents during pregnancy.
Matulane should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant.
Procarbazine hydrochloride is teratogenic in the rat when given at doses approximately 4 to 13 times the maximum recommended human therapeutic dose of 6 mg/kg/day. Nonteratogenic Effects Procarbazine hydrochloride has not been adequately studied in animals for its effects on peri- and postnatal development. However, neurogenic tumors were noted in the offspring of rats given intravenous injections of 125 mg/kg of procarbazine hydrochloride on day 22 of gestation.
Compounds which inhibit DNA, RNA and protein synthesis might be expected to have adverse effects on peri- and postnatal development. Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility Carcinogenesis The carcinogenicity of procarbazine hydrochloride in mice, rats and monkeys has been reported in a considerable number of studies. Instances of a second nonlymphoid malignancy, including lung cancer and acute myelocytic leukemia, have been reported in patients with Hodgkin's disease treated with procarbazine in combination with other chemotherapy and/or radiation.
The risks of secondary lung cancer from treatment appear to be multiplied by tobacco use. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considers that there is "sufficient evidence" for the human carcinogenicity of procarbazine hydrochloride when it is given in intensive regimens which include other antineoplastic agents but that there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans given procarbazine hydrochloride alone. Mutagenesis Procarbazine hydrochloride has been shown to be mutagenic in a variety of bacterial and mammalian test systems.
Impairment of Fertility Azoospermia and antifertility effects associated with procarbazine hydrochloride administration in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents for treating Hodgkin's disease have been reported in human clinical studies. Since these patients received multicombination therapy, it is difficult to determine to what extent procarbazine hydrochloride alone was involved in the male germcell damage. The usual Segment I fertility/reproduction studies in laboratory animals have not been carried out with procarbazine hydrochloride.
However, compounds which inhibit DNA, RNA and/or protein synthesis might be expected to have adverse effects on gametogenesis. Unscheduled DNA synthesis in the testis of rabbits and decreased fertility in male mice treated with procarbazine hydrochloride have been reported.
🤒 Adverse Reactions ▾
ADVERSE REACTIONS Leukopenia, anemia and thrombopenia occur frequently. Nausea and vomiting are the most commonly reported side effects. Other adverse reactions are: Hematologic Pancytopenia; eosinophilia; hemolytic anemia; bleeding tendencies such as petechiae, purpura, epistaxis and hemoptysis.
Gastrointestinal Hepatic dysfunction, jaundice, stomatitis, hematemesis, melena, diarrhea, dysphagia, anorexia, abdominal pain, constipation, dry mouth. Neurologic Coma, convulsions, neuropathy, ataxia, paresthesia, nystagmus, diminished reflexes, falling, foot drop, headache, dizziness, unsteadiness. Cardiovascular Hypotension, tachycardia, syncope.
Ophthalmic Retinal hemorrhage, papilledema, photophobia, diplopia, inability to focus. Respiratory Pneumonitis, pleural effusion, cough. Dermatologic Herpes, dermatitis, pruritus, alopecia, hyperpigmentation, rash, urticaria, flushing.
Allergic Generalized allergic reactions. Genitourinary Hematuria, urinary frequency, nocturia. Musculoskeletal Pain, including myalgia and arthralgia; tremors.
Psychiatric Hallucinations, depression, apprehension, nervousness, confusion, nightmares. Endocrine Gynecomastia in prepubertal and early pubertal boys. Miscellaneous Intercurrent infections, hearing loss, pyrexia, diaphoresis, lethargy, weakness, fatigue, edema, chills, insomnia, slurred speech, hoarseness, drowsiness.
Second nonlymphoid malignancies (including lung cancer, acute myelocytic leukemia and malignant myelosclerosis) and azoospermia have been reported in patients with Hodgkin's disease treated with procarbazine in combination with other chemotherapy and/or radiation. The risks of secondary lung cancer from treatment appear to be multiplied by tobacco use.
🔄 Drug Interactions ▾
Drug Interactions See WARNINGS section. No cross-resistance with other chemotherapeutic agents, radiotherapy or steroids has been demonstrated.
🤰 Pregnancy ▾
Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Procarbazine hydrochloride can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. While there are no adequate and well‑controlled studies with procarbazine hydrochloride in pregnant women, there are case reports of malformations in the offspring of women who were exposed to procarbazine hydrochloride in combination with other antineoplastic agents during pregnancy. Matulane should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant. Procarbazine hydrochloride is teratogenic in the rat when given at doses approximately 4 to 13 times the maximum recommended human therapeutic dose of 6 mg/kg/day.
Nonteratogenic Effects Procarbazine hydrochloride has not been adequately studied in animals for its effects on peri- and postnatal development. However, neurogenic tumors were noted in the offspring of rats given intravenous injections of 125 mg/kg of procarbazine hydrochloride on day 22 of gestation. Compounds which inhibit DNA, RNA and protein synthesis might be expected to have adverse effects on peri- and postnatal development.
Pregnancy See WARNINGS section.
🧒 Pediatric Use ▾
Pediatric Use Undue toxicity, evidenced by tremors, coma and convulsions, has occurred in a few cases. Dosage, therefore, should be individualized (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). Very close clinical monitoring is mandatory.
🆘 Overdosage ▾
OVERDOSAGE The major manifestations of overdosage with Matulane would be anticipated to be nausea, vomiting, enteritis, diarrhea, hypotension, tremors, convulsions and coma. Treatment should consist of either the administration of an emetic or gastric lavage. General supportive measures such as intravenous fluids are advised.
Since the major toxicity of procarbazine hydrochloride is hematologic and hepatic, patients should have frequent complete blood counts and liver function tests throughout their period of recovery and for a minimum of two weeks thereafter. Should abnormalities appear in any of these determinations, appropriate measures for correction and stabilization should be immediately undertaken. The estimated mean lethal dose of procarbazine hydrochloride in laboratory animals varied from approximately 150 mg/kg in rabbits to 1300 mg/kg in mice.
🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ▾
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY The precise mode of cytotoxic action of procarbazine has not been clearly defined. There is evidence that the drug may act by inhibition of protein, RNA and DNA synthesis. Studies have suggested that procarbazine may inhibit transmethylation of methyl groups of methionine into t‑RNA.
The absence of functional t‑RNA could cause the cessation of protein synthesis and consequently DNA and RNA synthesis. In addition, procarbazine may directly damage DNA. Hydrogen peroxide, formed during the auto‑oxidation of the drug, may attack protein sulfhydryl groups contained in residual protein which is tightly bound to DNA.
Procarbazine is metabolized primarily in the liver and kidneys. The drug appears to be auto-oxidized to the azo derivative with the release of hydrogen peroxide. The azo derivative isomerizes to the hydrazone, and following hydrolysis splits into a benzylaldehyde derivative and methylhydrazine.
The methylhydrazine is further degraded to CO 2 and CH 4 and possibly hydrazine, whereas the aldehyde is oxidized to N -isopropylterephthalamic acid, which is excreted in the urine. Procarbazine is rapidly and completely absorbed. Following oral administration of 30 mg of 14 C-labeled procarbazine, maximum peak plasma radioactive concentrations were reached within 60 minutes.
After intravenous injection, the plasma half-life of procarbazine is approximately 10 minutes. Approximately 70% of the radioactivity is excreted in the urine as N -isopropylterephthalamic acid within 24 hours following both oral and intravenous administration of 14 C-labeled procarbazine. Procarbazine crosses the blood-brain barrier and rapidly equilibrates between plasma and cerebrospinal fluid after oral administration.
📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling ▾
HOW SUPPLIED Capsules, ivory, containing the equivalent of 50 mg procarbazine as the hydrochloride; in bottles of 100 (NDC 54482-054-01). Imprint on capsules: MATULANE LB213.
📋 Description ▾
DESCRIPTION Matulane (procarbazine hydrochloride), a hydrazine derivative antineoplastic agent, is available as capsules containing the equivalent of 50 mg procarbazine as the hydrochloride. Each capsule also contains cornstarch, mannitol and talc. Gelatin capsule shells contain titanium dioxide, FD&C Yellow No.
6 and D&C Yellow No. 10. Chemically, procarbazine hydrochloride is N ‑isopropyl-∝-(2‑methylhydrazino)‑ p ‑toluamide monohydrochloride.
It is a white to pale yellow crystalline powder which is soluble but unstable in water or aqueous solutions. The molecular weight of procarbazine hydrochloride is 257.76 and the structural formula is: chemical structure
💬 Information for Patients ▾
Information for Patients Patients should be warned not to drink alcoholic beverages while on Matulane therapy since there may be an Antabuse (disulfiram)‑like reaction. They should also be cautioned to avoid foods with known high tyramine content such as wine, yogurt, ripe cheese and bananas. Over-the-counter drug preparations which contain antihistamines or sympathomimetic drugs should also be avoided.
Patients taking Matulane should also be warned against the use of prescription drugs without the knowledge and consent of their physician. Patients should be advised to discontinue tobacco use.