Drug
Azathioprine
Pronounced
"aze-uh-THIGH-oh-preen"
Drug Interactions
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug are: febuxostat, past or present use of certain cancer drugs (such as cyclophosphamide, melphalan), other drugs that weaken the immune system/increase the risk of infection (such as rituximab, tofacitinib).
Azathioprine is very similar to mercaptopurine. Do not use medications containing mercaptopurine while using azathioprine.
Supportive Interactions
1- Replenish Depleted Nutrients
Azathioprine
Folic Acid
People receiving dialysis for kidney failure often have low blood levels of folic acid. However, folic acid blood levels should return to normal following kidney transplant. A preliminary study of people taking azathioprine to prevent organ rejection revealed that blood levels of folic acid remained well below those of individuals not taking the drug. The highest blood folic acid level was observed in an individual who had not taken azathioprine for two years. Controlled studies are needed to determine whether people taking azathioprine should supplement with folic acid.
Folic AcidAzathioprine- Zazgornik J, Druml W, Balcke P, et al. Diminished serum folic acid levels in renal transplant recipients. Clin Nephrol 1982;18:306-10.