Thiopurine
Thiopurine
Thiopurine (pronounced: thio-pur-ine) is a type of medication that belongs to a group of drugs known as immunosuppressants. These drugs are used to suppress the immune system and are often used in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Etymology
The term "thiopurine" is derived from the Greek words "theion" meaning sulfur and "purinos" meaning purine. This is because thiopurines are sulfur-containing derivatives of purine, a type of nitrogenous base found in the DNA and RNA of all living cells.
Usage
Thiopurines are used in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. They are most commonly used in the treatment of leukemia, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients.
Related Terms
- Azathioprine: A type of thiopurine used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients and to treat autoimmune diseases.
- Mercaptopurine: Another type of thiopurine used in the treatment of leukemia.
- 6-thioguanine: A thiopurine drug used in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.
Side Effects
Like all medications, thiopurines can cause side effects. These can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rash. In rare cases, thiopurines can cause serious side effects such as pancreatitis, hepatotoxicity, and myelosuppression.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Thiopurine
- Wikipedia's article - Thiopurine
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski