Title: Azathioprine in Multiple Sclerosis
VOLUME: 8 ISSUE: 9
Author(s):Paolo Invernizz, Maria Donata Benedetti, Sarah Poli and Salvatore Monaco
Affiliation:Department of Neurological and Visual Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.
Keywords:Azathioprine, multiple sclerosis, immunosuppression, thiopurine methyltransferase, tolerability, relapses, disability, immunomodulators
Abstract: Azathioprine is an immunosuppressive and steroid-sparing purine analogue, used in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. In multiple sclerosis, available evidence suggests that oral azathioprine reduces relapse rates, provides a slight benefit on disability, and reduces new inflammatory lesions. Here, we focus on molecular mechanisms of Azathioprine and on its usefulness in multiple sclerosis.
