Immunosuppressive drugs
Immunosuppressive Drugs
Immunosuppressive drugs (pronunciation: im·mu·no·sup·pres·sive drugs) are a class of medications that are used to inhibit or prevent the activity of the immune system. They are used in the treatment of various autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, and in some cases, cancer.
Etymology
The term "immunosuppressive" is derived from the Latin words "immunis" meaning exempt, and "suppressus" meaning to press down. Thus, immunosuppressive drugs are those that "press down" or inhibit the immune system.
Types of Immunosuppressive Drugs
There are several types of immunosuppressive drugs, including:
- Corticosteroids: These are often used in combination with other immunosuppressive drugs. They work by reducing inflammation and suppressing the body's immune response.
- Calcineurin inhibitors: These include drugs like cyclosporine and tacrolimus, which inhibit the action of calcineurin, a protein involved in the activation of immune cells.
- mTOR inhibitors: These include drugs like sirolimus and everolimus, which inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a protein involved in cell growth and proliferation.
- Antiproliferative agents: These include drugs like mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine, which inhibit the proliferation of immune cells.
Side Effects
Like all medications, immunosuppressive drugs can have side effects. These can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, kidney damage, and an increased risk of infections due to the suppression of the immune system.
Related Terms
- Immunosuppression: The reduction of the activation or efficacy of the immune system.
- Immunomodulatory drugs: These are drugs that modify the immune response or the functioning of the immune system.
- Immunotherapy: A type of therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection, and other diseases.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Immunosuppressive drugs
- Wikipedia's article - Immunosuppressive drugs
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