Sodium Oxamate

Sodium Oxamate (CAS No.: 565-73-1) is a small-molecule metabolic inhibitor widely used in biomedical research as a competitive inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A), a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate during glycolysis. As a structural analog of pyruvate, it disrupts glycolytic flux and reduces lactate production, thereby interfering with the metabolic reprogramming characteristic of rapidly proliferating cells, including cancer cells that rely on aerobic glycolysis. Through inhibition of LDH-A–mediated pathways, sodium oxamate modulates cellular energy metabolism, redox balance, and associated signaling processes linked to tumor growth and survival. It has demonstrated anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in various cancer cell models, with activity typically observed in the low micromolar to millimolar concentration range depending on cell type and experimental conditions. This compound is commonly employed in studies investigating metabolic vulnerabilities, tumor bioenergetics, and the Warburg effect, as well as in combination strategies to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents or to probe mechanisms of drug resistance. In vitro and in vivo applications generally utilize concentrations or dosing regimens tailored to specific experimental designs, making sodium oxamate a valuable tool in cancer metabolism research and early-stage drug discovery efforts targeting metabolic enzymes.