Clinical Usage of Azathioprine and 6-Mercaptopurine.

Azathioprine (AZA) is a purine antimetabolite. It is a prodrug of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP); both are widely used drugs for IBD. Sustained leukopenia (that may cause malignancy), acute pancreatitis, and allergy are the most common complications. 6-MP and AZA can take up to 3 months or longer. Leukopenic patients were more likely to respond, more likely to have their dose of steroids reduced, and more likely to be adequately treated for complications of IBD. By using newer technologies, clinicians can determine the safe / therapeutic dose of these agents. The clinical usage of AZA and 6-MP include: inflammatory bowel disease, refractory sprue, autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, minimal change nephrotic syndrome, IgA nephropathy, Myesthina gravis, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, refractory anemia with excess of blasts, liver, lung, renal,and pancreas transplantation, and some dermatologic disorders (e.g., eczema, pemphigus,etc.).