Azathioprine
Azathioprine is a thiopurine immunosuppressant. Its metabolites interfere with purine synthesis, reducing proliferation of immune cells.
Key points
- Azathioprine suppresses immune-cell proliferation through thiopurine metabolites.
- Blood-count and liver monitoring are central to its safety profile.
Imuran connects azathioprine with rheumatoid arthritis and renal-transplant rejection prophylaxis in autoimmune support. Bone-marrow suppression, infection and malignancy risks make the monitoring context central to this ingredient page and require qualified clinical review.
Boxed warning
Azathioprine’s label carries a boxed warning for malignancy. Chronic immunosuppression with azathioprine, a purine antimetabolite, increases the risk of malignancy in humans, including reported post-transplant lymphoma and hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.