HealthAugust 5, 2026

electrophile

uh-LEK-truh-file

Definition

A chemical substance or molecule that is attracted to and accepts electrons to form a chemical bond, often used here to describe a new class of targeted drug designs.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Greek 'elektron' (amber, a source of static electricity) and 'philos' (loving or fond), essentially meaning 'electron-loving'.

In the news

The article introduces 'electrophile-drug conjugates' (EDCs) as a new therapeutic approach, where the electrophile helps the drug molecule specifically bind to target enzymes within cancer cells.

Experimental Drug Turns Cancer’s Favorite Fuel — Sugar — Against It

Read the full article ↗

news.utexas.edu

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