An antiseptic agent with potential antibacterial and antileukemic activity. Although the exact mechanism of action remains to be fully elucidated, ambazone appears to interfere with the membrane-bound nucleotide system by increasing the intracellular concentration of cAMP in leukemia cells and macrophages, which potentially contributes to this agent's antineoplastic activity. Furthermore, this agent's affinity for various cellular targets, i.e. membranes, nucleic acids and proteins, may contribute to the overall antibacterial effect.