Mycophenolate is a prescription immunosuppressant medication. It reduces the activity of the immune system, primarily to prevent it from attacking healthy tissues or transplanted organs.
How Mycophenolate Affects the Body
Mycophenolate works by targeting processes within immune cells, particularly lymphocytes, which are white blood cells central to the immune response. These cells require specific building blocks to multiply rapidly when activated. Mycophenolate interferes with an enzyme, inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), crucial for guanosine synthesis.
Guanosine is essential for DNA and RNA creation, vital for cell division. Lymphocytes are highly dependent on this pathway for proliferation, especially when activated. By inhibiting IMPDH, mycophenolate starves these rapidly dividing immune cells of necessary components, preventing their excessive multiplication and dampening immune responses.
Conditions Treated by Mycophenolate
Mycophenolate is most commonly used to prevent organ rejection after transplants. The recipient’s immune system recognizes the new organ as foreign and would attack it, leading to rejection. Mycophenolate suppresses this immune response, allowing the body to accept the new organ.
Beyond transplantation, mycophenolate is also used to treat various autoimmune diseases. In these conditions, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy tissues, causing inflammation and damage. For instance, it is effective in treating lupus nephritis, a severe kidney inflammation caused by systemic lupus erythematosus.
It also finds use in certain forms of vasculitis, which involves inflammation of blood vessels, and in some cases of rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system attacks joint tissues. Mycophenolate can mitigate the immune system’s misdirected assault in these conditions, reducing symptoms and preventing further tissue damage. The drug’s ability to selectively target lymphocyte proliferation makes it a valuable tool in managing these complex immune-mediated disorders.
Taking Mycophenolate: What to Know
Mycophenolate is available in different forms, including tablets, capsules, and a liquid suspension. It is typically taken twice daily, usually in the morning and evening, with or without food. Maintaining a consistent schedule for taking the medication each day helps ensure steady levels in the body.
Common side effects associated with mycophenolate often involve the digestive system. Individuals may experience stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. These symptoms usually occur at the beginning of treatment or when the dose is adjusted. Other potential effects include a decrease in blood cell counts, such as white blood cells or red blood cells, which are monitored through regular blood tests.
Taking mycophenolate increases an individual’s susceptibility to infections, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. This is because the medication reduces the overall activity of the immune system, making the body less capable of fighting off pathogens. Patients must report any signs of infection, such as fever or unusual fatigue, to their healthcare provider. Regular blood tests are essential to monitor drug levels in the body and to check blood cell counts, ensuring the medication is at a safe and effective level.
Women of childbearing potential must use effective contraception before, during, and for a period after stopping mycophenolate due to the significant risk of birth defects. The medication can also interact with other drugs, affecting its absorption or increasing the risk of side effects. It is important to inform healthcare providers about all other medications, supplements, and herbal products being taken to avoid potential interactions.