- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Azathioprine
Pronounced ay-zah-THY-oh-preen
Brand names: Imuran
Type: Antimetabolite immunosuppressant · All Transplant & Immune Medicines
What Azathioprine is used for
- Preventing organ rejection after kidney transplant
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Autoimmune hepatitis and other autoimmune diseases
◆ Kidney note
One of the oldest transplant medicines; dose is guided by blood counts, and its interaction with allopurinol matters greatly in kidney patients with gout.
Common side effects
- Nausea and vomiting
- Low white blood cell counts
- Hair thinning
- Rash
- Liver irritation
Important cautions
- Can severely lower blood counts — a genetic enzyme test (TPMT) and regular blood counts guide safe use
- Combining it with the gout medicine allopurinol can cause life-threatening blood count drops — the combination needs major dose adjustment or avoidance
- Raises infection risk and long-term skin cancer risk
How it comes
Tablets, injection (hospital). This guide lists forms only — it never lists strengths or doses.
Toxicity lists: Azathioprine also appears on Medicines That Can Harm the Liver.
Related medicines — Transplant & Immune Medicines
Condition guides on MedicalVideos.com
Please note: This page is a patient-education summary, not medical advice, and it deliberately contains no doses. Medicines affect everyone differently — always follow your own prescription and talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.