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Antirheumatic Therapy: Actions and Outcomes pp 163–173Cite as

Azathioprine

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Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research ((PIR))

Abstract

Azathioprine is a synthetic purine analogue — the 1-methyl-4-nitro-5-imidazolyl derivative of thioguanine. The principal metabolite of azathioprine is 6-mercaptopurine and this is metabolised by hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) to produce the active metabolites thioinosinic and thioguanylic acid. These metabolites inhibit intracellular function by interfering with adenine and guanine ribonucleotide production through suppression of inosinic acid synthesis [1]. These effects result in downregulation of actively proliferating cells with a particular effect on bone marrow.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Clinical Medical Sciences (Rheumatology), University of Newcastle, Framlington Place, 4th Floor, Cookson Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK

    David Kanel

  2. Department of Rheumatology, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    Barry Bresnihan

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  1. David Kanel
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, St. Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Victoria Street Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia

    Richard O. Day

  2. 546 Dept. of Rheumatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Piet L. C. M. van Riel

  3. Carl M.Pearson Professor of Rheumatology, 1000 Veteran Ave Rm 32-59, Los Angeles, CA, 90025-1670, USA

    Daniel E. Fürst

  4. Department of Rheumatology, St Vicent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Barry Bresnihan

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© 2005 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland

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Kanel, D., Bresnihan, B. (2005). Azathioprine. In: Day, R.O., Fürst, D.E., van Riel, P.L.C.M., Bresnihan, B. (eds) Antirheumatic Therapy: Actions and Outcomes. Progress in Inflammation Research. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-7726-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-7726-7_8

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7643-6595-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7643-7726-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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