Proflavine is an acriflavine derivative used as a topical disinfectant agains gram-positive bacteria. Proflavine is toxic and carcinogenic in mammals and so it is used only as a surface disinfectant or for treating superficial wounds. Proflavine acts by interchelating DNA (intercalation), thereby disrupting DNA synthesis and leading to high levels of mutation in the copied DNA strands. This prevents bacterial reproduction. Proflavine was investigated for photodynamic theraphy of herpes but was discontinued due to several presentations of post-treatment Bowen's disease and higher lesion recrudescence periods. Proflavine is also investigated as a topical contrast agent for imaging and diagnosis of esophageal, oral, colon, cervical, uterine cancer and polyps.

Tosylchloramide or N-chloro tosylamide, sodium salt, sold as chloramine-T, is an investigational animal drug used in the aquaculture industry and also is a very effective odor control compound. It has other applications that include: algaecide, bactericide, germicide, parasite control, and for drinking water disinfection. It is also highly effective against bacteria, viruses, and spores. In the aquaculture and aquafarming industries, Chloramine -T (Tosylchloramide Sodium Salt) is used to treat external bacterial infections in salmonid fish such as koi, salmon, trout, and whitefish. In the personal care industry, it is used in hydrotherapy treatments to revitalize, maintain, and restore health. Hydrotherapeutic applications include whirlpools, saunas, steam baths, foot baths, and sitz baths. Chloramine-T is also used for disinfection in saunas, solariums, gyms, sport centres, kitchens, sanitary facilities, and air conditioning units. As an anti-microbial agent,Chloramine-T (Tosylchloramide Sodium Salt) it has had widespread use in a broad range of practices, including medical, dental, verterinary food processing and agricultural. It also has been used in direct contact with tissues because it has a low degree of cytotoxicity. Within the United States of America, the use of Chloramine-T is more restricted. Disifin (Tosylchloramide) destroys DNA and thereby prevents microbes from. DISIFIN® Tablets are effective against a whole series of microorganisms, including grampositive and gram-negative bacteria, enveloped and non-en reproducing.

Dictamnine, a furoquinoline alkaloid isolated from the root bark of Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. (Rutaceae) is reported to have a wide range of pharmacological activities. Dictamnine is a strong mutagen and phototoxic alkaloid with DNA as a cellular target.

Angelicin (isopsoralen), is a furocoumarin, occuring in a number of plants belonging to the Umbelliferae family. It acts as a photosensitizer by forming DNA monoadducts. Angelicin is able to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in rat brain mitochondria. Angelicin exerts antineoplastic and antidiabetic properties in animal models.

Safrole is a natural product obtained from essential oil of the root bark of Sassafras tree. Safrole has been used as a flavoring agent in drugs and in the manufacture of heliotropin, perfumes, soaps, and piperonyl butoxide. Oil of sassafras, which contains safrole, was formerly used to flavor some soft drinks, such as root beer. However, this use or any other addition of safrole or oil of sassafras to food was banned in the United States in 1960 due to evidence of carcinogenicity. Numerous studies have shown that safrole from betel quid-containing safrole might be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma in human due to the formation of DNA adducts. Safrole has also been used in the illicit production of the drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or ecstasy), and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has designated safrole a List I Chemical. Anticancer and anti-diabetic properties of safrole were investigated in vitro and in vivo.

Dimethyl sulfate is a diester of methanol and sulfuric acid. Dimethyl sulfate is commonly used as a reagent for the methylation of phenols, amines, and thiols. Dimethyl sulfate is a potent genotoxic chemical. It can directly alkylate DNA both in vitro and in vivo. It have been shown to induce mutations, chromosomal aberrations, and other genetic alterations in a diversity of organisms. Dimethyl sulfate can cause severe burns to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Systemic effects of dimethyl sulfate include damage to the liver and kidneys.

Palmatine is a protoberberine alkaloid. Palmatine is major component of herbal preparations mainly used in traditional medicine Chinese, Korean and Indian. Palmatine can be found in various medicinal plants such as Coptis chinensis, Rhizoma coptidis, Corydalis yanhusuo, Radix tinosporae, among others. It exerts diverse pharmacological and biological properties. Palmatine has been proposed as a promising DNA phototherapy drug, notably due to its ability to produce in situ singlet oxygen only when interacting with DNA.

Pixantrone is a novel anthracenedione. It is a weak inhibitor of topoisomerase II. Pixantrone directly alkylates DNA forming stable DNA adducts and cross-strand breaks. Pixuvri is approved for the treatment of adult patients with multiply relapsed or refractory aggressive Non-Hodgkin lymphomas. It is used for patients whose cancer does not respond or has returned after they have received other chemotherapy treatments. The most frequent AE were seen in the blood (mainly neutropaenia), gastrointestinal (nausea, abdominal pain, constipation) and respiratory systems (cough, dyspnea). No drug-drug interaction studies have been submitted and no drug interactions have been reported in human subjects

Fotemustine is a novel chloroethylnitrosourea alkylating agent approved for use in the treatment of metastasizing melanoma and Recurrent Malignant Gliomas. The antitumor activity of fotemustine is related to its ability to alkylate DNA. It's in vitro or in vivo pharmacological activity is similar or greater than that of other nitrosoureas. Significant activity has been found in mice xenograft models of human primary cerebral tumors after fotemustine intraperitoneal administration. Fotemustine has been registered for use in two indications: disseminated malignant melanoma, including cerebral metastases, and primary brain tumors. Fotemustine is currently used in Europe, particularly in France and Italy, as a salvage therapy for recurrent malignant gliomas. Myelosuppression, leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia are the most frequent side effects of treatment with fotemustine. The objective response to this treatment is between 26% and 70%, and the reported median survival time is 10 months. New drug combinations containing fotemustine and angiogenesis inhibitors, such as bevacizumab, are currently under development.

Nimustine is one of nitrosoureas used in the treatment of cancer. Nimustine alkylates and crosslinks DNA, thereby causing DNA fragmentation, inhibition of protein synthesis, and cell death. It is used in the treatment of brain tumor (in particular, high-grade gliomas), gastrointestinal cancers (stomach cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer), lung cancer, malignant lymphoma, chronic leukemia. Nimustine side effects are: leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypoproteinemia, anemia, Increased bleeding, proteinuria, interstitial pneumonia, anorexia, stomatitis, nausea, vomiting, general weakness, fever, headache, dizziness, seizures, alopecia, allergic reactions (rash).