Azathioprine

Chemical formula: C₉H₇N₇O₂S  Molecular mass: 277.263 g/mol  PubChem compound: 2265

Therapeutic indications

Azathioprine is indicated for:

Organ transplants

Population group: only children (1 year - 12 years old) , adolescents (12 years - 18 years old) , adults (18 years old or older)

Azathioprine is used as an immunosuppressant antimetabolite either alone or, more commonly, in combination with other agents (usually corticosteroids) and procedures which influence the immune response. Therapeutic effect may be evident only after weeks or months and can include a steroid-sparing effect, thereby reducing the toxicity associated with high dosage and prolonged usage of corticosteroids. Azathioprine in combination with corticosteroids and/or other immunosuppressive agents and procedures, is indicated to enhance the survival of organ transplants, such as renal transplants, cardiac transplants, and hepatic transplants; and to reduce the corticosteroid requirements of renal transplant recipients.

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments (click for details):

Auto-immune disorders

Population group: only adolescents (12 years - 18 years old) , adults (18 years old or older)

Azathioprine is used as an immunosuppressant antimetabolite either alone or, more commonly, in combination with other agents (usually corticosteroids) and procedures which influence the immune response. Therapeutic effect may be evident only after weeks or months and can include a steroid-sparing effect, thereby reducing the toxicity associated with high dosage and prolonged usage of corticosteroids.

Azathioprine either alone or more usually in combination with corticosteroids and/or other drugs and procedures has been used with clinical benefit (which may include reduction of dosage or discontinuation of corticosteroids) in a proportion of patients suffering from the following:

  • severe rheumatoid arthritis – systemic lupus erythematosus
  • dermatomyositis and polymyositis
  • auto-immune chronic active hepatitis
  • pemphigus vulgaris
  • polyarteritis nodosa
  • auto-immune haemolytic anaemia
  • chronic refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments (click for details):

Contraindications

Azathioprine is contraindicated in the following cases:

Lactation

Lactation

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