Oxamic acid is an LDHA (lactate dehydrogenase A) inhibitor with antitumor activity that induces cancer cell apoptosis, downregulates EGFR expression, and inhibits cancer stem cell properties and EMT.

After 24-72 hours of treatment with 10 μM Oxamic acid, cell proliferation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells was inhibited in a dose- and time-dependent manner [2]. Exposure to 0-100 mM oxamate for 24 hours induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in CNE-1 and CNE-2 cells [2]. Treatment with 0-100 mM oxamate for 48 hours activated caspase-3 and the mitochondrial pathway, leading to apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells [2]. Following 24-hour exposure to 0-100 mM oxamate, intracellular reactive oxygen species levels were elevated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells [2].

Compared to using Oxamic acid alone or radiation therapy alone, the combination of Oxamic acid (750 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection, once daily for 3 weeks) with radiation therapy significantly enhanced tumor suppression effects in female Balb/c nude mice inoculated with CNE-1 cells [2].