Imuran

Drug name: Imuran


Other names used:

• ATP®
• Azahexal®
• Azasan®
• Azopi®
• immumoprin®
• Imurek®
• Imurel®
• Muran®
• Rorasul®

Active Ingredients: Azathioprine

Therapeutic actions: Imuran is an immunosuppressive antimetabolite. Imuran's main component is azathioprine. Azathioprine lowers your body's immune system. The immune system helps your body fight infections. The immune system can also fight or "reject" a transplanted organ such as a liver or kidney. This is because the immune system treats the new organ as an invader.

Indications: Azathioprine is used to prevent your body from rejecting a transplanted kidney. It is also used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Contraindications and cautions: Do not take this medication if you are allergic to azathioprine. Taking azathioprine may increase your risk of developing cancer. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk. Before taking azathioprine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• liver disease;
• any type of viral, bacterial, or fungal infection; or
• if you have recently received chemotherapy treatments with medications such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), chlorambucil (Leukeran), melphalan (Alkeran).

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to take azathioprine, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use azathioprine without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication.
This medication can affect fertility (your ability to have children), whether you are a man or a woman. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this.
Azathioprine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Adverse effects: Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, weakness, muscle pain, flu symptoms;
• severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
• severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, fast heart rate;
• pain or burning with urination;
• stomach pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips.

Less serious side effects may also occur, such as:

• mild upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite;
• hair loss; or
• skin rash.

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Interactions: It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.
Before taking azathioprine, tell your doctor if you are taking, have taken, or need to take any of the following medicines:

• allopurinol (Zyloprim);
• mercaptopurine (Purinethol);
• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Immunex);
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune);
• olsalazine (Dipentum), or sulfasalazine (Azulfidine);
• sulfamethoxasole and trimethoprim (Trimpex, Proloprim, Bactrim, Septra, others); or
• an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik).

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to take azathioprine, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.