Azathioprine is a pro-drug of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP). 6-MP is inactive but acts as a purine antagonist and requires cellular uptake and intracellular anabolism to thioguanine nucleotides (TGNs) for immunosuppression. The TGNs and other metabolites (e.g. 6-methyl-mecaptopurine ribonucleotides) inhibit de novo purine synthesis and purine nucleotide interconversions.
This medicinal substance has been classified in the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) classification according to its main therapeutic use as follows:
Competent medicine agencies globally have authorized commercialization of this active ingredient according to these medication package inserts (MPIs):
Azathioprine is the active ingredient of these drugs:
South Africa
Poland
Estonia Lithuania
Germany
Austria Germany Lithuania
Italy
Singapore
Hong Kong New Zealand South Africa
South Africa United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Spain
Austria Estonia
Ireland
Brazil Ecuador
Cyprus Hong Kong
New Zealand
Australia Brazil Canada Cyprus Ecuador
Austria Germany Tunisia
Finland France Germany Spain Tunisia
Brazil
Estonia Ireland Lithuania Poland
South Africa