azathioprine + mercaptopurine

Azathioprine and mercaptopurine are immunosuppressant medications primarily used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Azathioprine is metabolized in the body to mercaptopurine. These medications work by reducing the strength of the immune system, which helps decrease inflammation in the gut. They are sometimes used together with biologic medicines in "combination therapy," which can be more effective than biologic medicines alone for controlling Crohn's or Colitis. In some cases, they may be prescribed with allopurinol to bypass adverse drug reactions. These medications typically take 3-6 months to show full effectiveness.

Other names

6-mercaptopurine6-MP