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The effects of immunosuppressive drugs on human immunocompetence

  • Congress ‘Blood and Drugs’
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Abstract

Immunosuppressive drugs are agents capable of suppressing the development of at least one type of immune responsein vivo at doses with minimal side-effects.

After an introduction in which different types of immune responses are briefly discussed, some characteristics regarding the mechanism of action of prednisolone, azathioprine, cylophosphamide and anti-lymphocyte serum (ALS) will be reviewed. Corticosteroids display mainly an anti-inflammatory effect. The immunosuppressive effect of azathioprine is questionable, cyclophosphamide influences the immune system itself and ALS suppresses fairly specific cellular immunity.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Experimental and Clinical Immunology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    P. Th. A. Schellekens & R. J. M. Ten Berge

  2. Central Laboratory of the Netherlands Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, P.O. Box 9190, 1006, AD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    P. Th. A. Schellekens & R. J. M. Ten Berge

Authors
  1. P. Th. A. Schellekens
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  2. R. J. M. Ten Berge
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Schellekens, P.T.A., Ten Berge, R.J.M. The effects of immunosuppressive drugs on human immunocompetence. Pharmaceutisch Weekblad Scientific Edition 6, 32–38 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01960197

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01960197

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