azathioprine
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. An immunosuppressive drug: A pharmaceutical substance that reduces the activity or efficacy of the body's immune system. Azathioprine is specifically used to prevent the immune system from attacking and rejecting a transplanted organ, such as a kidney or heart. It is also used to treat certain autoimmune diseases.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The patient was prescribed azathioprine to protect his new kidney.
- After the transplant, a regimen including azathioprine is standard.
- Azathioprine suppresses the immune response.
Advanced Usage
- Clinical Context: The term is primarily used in medical, pharmaceutical, and patient-care contexts. It is not typically used in everyday conversation.
- Administration: It is almost always discussed in terms of being , , , or .
Variants and Related Words
- Imuran: The common trade name for azathioprine.
- The doctor switched her prescription from generic azathioprine to Imuran.
Synonyms
- Immunosuppressant / Immunosuppressive drug: The general category of drugs to which azathioprine belongs.
- (Trade name) Imuran: The brand-name equivalent.
Notes on Meaning
This word has a single, highly specific meaning in pharmacology and transplant medicine. It does not have idiomatic uses, phrasal verbs, or significant variations in meaning.
Noun
- an immunosuppressive drug (trade name Imuran) used to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ