What's on this Page
Azathioprine Brand Names- Azasan | Imuran
What is Azathioprine
Azathioprine is an oral and parenteral immunosuppressive agent. It is a chemical analog of the endogenous purines adenine, guanine, and hypoxanthine.
Azathioprine is metabolized to 6-mercaptopurine.
As an immunosuppressant, azathioprine is commonly used in transplant patients but also is useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus nephritis, and psoriatic arthritis.
It is being investigated as an agent to prevent the development of diabetes mellitus.
Azathioprine was originally approved by the FDA in 1968.
Indications
- atopic dermatitis
- autoimmune hepatitis
- Behcet’s syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- dermatomyositis
- immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- kidney transplant rejection prophylaxis
- lupus nephritis
- myasthenia gravis
- polymyositis
- psoriasis
- pulmonary fibrosis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- ulcerative colitis
- Wegener’s granulomatosis
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- alopecia
- anemia
- arthralgia
- ascites
- bleeding
- diarrhea
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- fever
- hepatic failure
- hypotension
- infection
- jaundice
- leukoencephalopathy
- leukopenia
- leukopenia
- lymphoma
- malaise
- myalgia
- nausea
- new primary malignancy
- pancreatitis
- pancytopenia
- pneumonitis
- rash
- serum sickness
- steatorrhea
- thrombocytopenia
- veno-occlusive disease (VOD)
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- CBC
- serum amylase
Contraindications
- anemia
- Asian patients
- Black patients
- bone marrow suppression
- breast-feeding
- Caucasian patients
- children
- hepatic disease
- immunosuppression
- infection
- infertility
- inflammatory bowel disease
- intramuscular injections
- leukopenia
- lymphoma
- new primary malignancy
- nucleotide diphosphatase deficiency
- pregnancy
- progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
- renal disease
- renal impairment
- requires an experienced clinician
- rheumatoid arthritis
- sunlight (UV) exposure
- thiopurine methyltransferase deficiency
- thrombocytopenia
- vaccination
Interactions
- Abacavir; Lamivudine, 3TC; Zidovudine, ZDV
- Abatacept
- Adalimumab
- Alefacept
- Allopurinol
- Alpha interferons
- Amlodipine; Benazepril
- Amlodipine; Celecoxib
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
- Azelastine; Fluticasone
- Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Vaccine, BCG
- Balsalazide
- Baricitinib
- Basiliximab
- Beclomethasone
- Benazepril
- Benazepril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Betamethasone
- Budesonide
- Budesonide; Formoterol
- Captopril
- Captopril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Carbamazepine
- Celecoxib
- Certolizumab pegol
- Ciclesonide
- Corticosteroids
- Corticotropin, ACTH
- Cortisone
- Cyclophosphamide
- Daclizumab
- Deflazacort
- Dexamethasone
- Diclofenac
- Diclofenac; Misoprostol
- Diflunisal
- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Echinacea
- Efalizumab
- Enalapril, Enalaprilat
- Enalapril; Felodipine
- Enalapril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Esomeprazole; Naproxen
- Etodolac
- Famotidine; Ibuprofen
- Febuxostat
- Fenoprofen
- Fludrocortisone
- Flunisolide
- Flurbiprofen
- Fluticasone
- Fluticasone; Salmeterol
- Fluticasone; Umeclidinium; Vilanterol
- Fluticasone; Vilanterol
- Formoterol; Mometasone
- Fosinopril
- Fosinopril; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Golimumab
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Lisinopril
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Moexipril
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Quinapril
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Hydrocortisone
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
- Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
- Indomethacin
- Infliximab
- Influenza Virus Vaccine
- Interferon Alfa-2a
- Interferon Alfa-2b
- Interferon Alfa-2b; Ribavirin
- Interferon Alfa-n3
- Interferon Alfacon-1
- Intranasal Influenza Vaccine
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- Lamivudine, 3TC; Zidovudine, ZDV
- Lansoprazole; Naproxen
- Leflunomide
- Lesinurad; Allopurinol
- Lisinopril
- Live Vaccines
- Measles Virus; Mumps Virus; Rubella Virus; Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
- Measles/Mumps/Rubella Vaccines, MMR
- Meclofenamate Sodium
- Mefenamic Acid
- Meloxicam
- Mercaptopurine, 6-MP
- Mesalamine, 5-ASA
- Methylprednisolone
- Moexipril
- Mometasone
- Muromonab-CD3
- Mycophenolate
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
- Naproxen; Sumatriptan
- Natalizumab
- Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs
- Olsalazine
- Oxaprozin
- Peginterferon Alfa-2a
- Peginterferon Alfa-2b
- Perindopril
- Perindopril; Amlodipine
- Pexidartinib
- Piroxicam
- Prednisolone
- Prednisone
- Quinapril
- Ramipril
- Ribavirin
- Rilonacept
- Riluzole
- Rituximab
- Rituximab; Hyaluronidase
- Rofecoxib
- Rotavirus Vaccine
- Rubella Virus Vaccine Live
- Sipuleucel-T
- Sirolimus
- Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine, Live, Nonreplicating
- Smallpox Vaccine, Vaccinia Vaccine
- Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim, SMX-TMP, Cotrimoxazole
- Sulfasalazine
- Sulindac
- Tacrolimus
- Tocilizumab
- Tofacitinib
- Tolmetin
- Trandolapril
- Trandolapril; Verapamil
- Triamcinolone
- Trimethoprim
- Typhoid Vaccine
- Upadacitinib
- Valdecoxib
- Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccine, Live
- Vigabatrin
- Warfarin
- Yellow Fever Vaccine, Live
- Zidovudine, ZDV
