What drug company makes azathioprine?

IMURAN® and ZYLOPRIM® are registered trademarks of Prometheus Laboratories Inc.

What is the generic brand for azathioprine?

Imuran (azathioprine) is in a drug class known as immunosuppressants. This means it weakens your body's immune response. It's important to lower your immune response after a kidney transplant so that your body doesn't attack the new kidney.

Is there an alternative to azathioprine?

Methotrexate is an alternative to azathioprine in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders with aquaporin-4 antibodies | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Is Imuran and azathioprine the same thing?

What is azathioprine (Imuran®)? Azathioprine (Imuran®) is a medication that treats diseases that have to do with your immune system. It's been used in some patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), usually if they have problems with standard FDA-approved medications for their MS.

Is azathioprine a black box warning?

Azathioprine has a "black box" warning—the strongest warning on a drug label—saying that the drug may increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including skin cancer and T cell lymphoma in people who have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

How long can you stay on azathioprine?

If tolerated, you will probably be on azathioprine for up to 5 years. Do not stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to, even if you feel well.

Is 50mg of azathioprine a lot?

The usual dose is 150-200 mg a day but the dose can vary depending on your weight and tolerance of the medication. Start with one 50 mg tablet daily usually in the morning with a meal. After one week, you should have your blood drawn.

Which is better methotrexate or azathioprine?

These results demonstrate MTX to be superior to AZA in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, with a more rapid clinical improvement which is sustained after 1 year, accompanied by a lower rate of serious adverse reactions.

Can azathioprine affect your eyes?

You should tell your doctor or nurse specialist straight away if you develop any of the following after starting azathioprine: a sore throat, fever or any other signs of infection. unexplained bruising or bleeding. yellowing of the skin or eyes, this is known as jaundice.

Does azathioprine make you immunocompromised?

Azathioprine is a type of medicine called an immunosuppressant. These medicines work by suppressing or "calming" your immune system. This means your immune system becomes weaker. If you take azathioprine for an inflammatory or autoimmune condition, it slows down the production of new cells in your body's immune system.

What happens if you stop taking azathioprine?

If you stop taking it suddenly: If you're taking this drug for a kidney transplant and you stop taking it suddenly, you may experience transplant rejection and kidney failure. If you're taking this drug for rheumatoid arthritis and you stop taking it suddenly, your symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may come back again.

Is azathioprine a carcinogen?

Azathioprine causes cancer of the skin (squamous cell carcinoma), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of azathioprine. Azathioprine is carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).

How toxic is azathioprine?

Conclusions: From this study, it was estimated at 6% the risk of toxicity by the administration of azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine to patients in Joinville.

What are the long term side effects of azathioprine?

The main theoretical risks of prolonged use would be the myelotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and the development of cancer. In fact, serious bone marrow suppression or serious liver damage are uncommon, and can be minimized with proper use of the drug.

Can azathioprine cause liver damage?

Azathioprine, like other thiopurines, can also cause chronic liver injury and long term therapy has been linked to the development of portal hypertension and nodular regenerative hyperplasia.

What does azathioprine do to your body?

Azathioprine belongs to a class of drugs known as immunosuppressants. It works by weakening the immune system to help your body accept the new kidney as if it were your own (in the case of an organ transplant) or to prevent further damage to your joints (in the case of rheumatoid arthritis).

Can azathioprine cause itchy skin?

Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.

What is the best time of day to take azathioprine?

Azathioprine is best taken on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 3 hours after food or milk. But if azathioprine makes you feel nauseous (sick), try taking it after food or at bedtime, or ask your doctor if you can divide your dose and take it twice a day. Swallow your tablets whole with a drink of water.

Can azathioprine affect your mood?

It may cause disability or can be deadly. Tell your doctor right away if you have signs like confusion, memory problems, low mood (depression), change in the way you act, change in strength on 1 side is greater than the other, trouble speaking or thinking, change in balance, or change in eyesight.

What is the safest drug for rheumatoid arthritis?

Hydroxychloroquine. Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug which is relatively safe and well-tolerated agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Are methotrexate and azathioprine the same?

Conclusions: This study confirms that methotrexate is effective in inducing remission in patients with chronic active Crohn's disease, therapeutic efficacy being comparable, but not faster, than that of azathioprine.

Can you take methotrexate and azathioprine together?

Thus, combination therapy with azathioprine and methotrexate is a safe and effective long-term therapy for difficult to treat patients. The combination therapy has no additional severe toxicities.

Is azathioprine like chemo?

There are quite a few chemotherapy drugs on the market, but only three are widely used in treating rheumatic diseases today. They are Methotrexate (Rheumatrex), Azathioprine (Imuran), and Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Methotrexate is the chemotherapeutic drug most widely used by rheumatologists.

What are the withdrawal symptoms of azathioprine?

You may have withdrawal symptoms.

These include fatigue, weakness, nausea, joint pain, and body aches.

Can you cut azathioprine in half?

You should take azathioprine with or immediately after food to help reduce stomach upsets. The tablets should not be cut in half as this can create small amounts of dust that could cause side effects to you and those around you. Never take more than the dose prescribed by your doctor.