Section Review: Pulmonary-Allergy, Dermatological, Gastrointestinal & Arthritis: Prospects for the development of immunosuppressive drugs with reduced nephrotoxicity

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Specific immunosuppressive drugs, notably cyclosporin and increasingly Tacrolimus (FK506), the agents of choice following transplantation, have substantially improved both graft and patient survival in many clinical centres and stimulated the development of new treatments for many autoimmune diseases. However, nephrotoxicity, a major complicating feature in patient management, may still limit their clinical use. In this short review, potential therapeutic strategies for the alleviation of this attendant renal dysfunction are discussed as are possible immunological and biochemical sites for future drug development. In addition, the results of clinical trials with other immunosuppressive drugs demonstrating diverse modes of action (including cyclosporin analogues, mizoribine, deoxyspergualin, FK506, mycophenolic acid, rapamycin, brequinar sodium and leflunomide) are also discussed with regard to both efficacy and tolerability.