Details

Mercaptopurine is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. Mercaptopurine is used to treat certain types of leukaemia. Mercaptopurine is sometimes given with other cancer medications. To make sure mercaptopurine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have liver disease kidney disease any type of viral, bacterial, or fungal infection or ulcerative colitis. Do not use mercaptopurine if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

Typical Uses

Mercaptopurine is used with other drugs to treat a certain type of cancer (acute lymphocytic leukaemia). Mercaptopurine belongs to a class of drugs known as purine antagonists. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. This drug may also be used to treat Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Side Effects

Common mercaptopurine side effects may include fever, night sweats, weight loss, tiredness feeling full after eating only a small amount pain in your upper stomach that may spread to your shoulder easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate or nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Drug Interactions

• Mercaptopurine+adalimumab- Using adalimumab together with mercaptopurine may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Mercaptopurine+certolizumab- Using mercaptopurine together with certolizumab may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Mercaptopurine+deferiprone- Deferiprone can lower white blood cell count, and combining it with other medications that can also affect bone marrow function such as mercaptopurine may increase the risk. You may be more likely to develop serious and potentially life-threatening infections as a result.
• Mercaptopurine+febuxostat- Using mercaptopurine together with febuxostat is not recommended. Febuxostat can increase the blood levels of mercaptopurine, possibly to toxic levels.

Mechanism of action

Mercaptopurine belongs to a group of purine antagonists and immunosuppressant. It prevents the growth and spread of the cancer cells.

Pregnancy Category : D