Early Experiences With Azathioprine in Ulcerative Colitis

7 February 1966

journal article
research article
Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in JAMA

Vol. 195 (6) , 460-464
https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1966.03100060100027

Abstract

Several informative studies have described the use of immunosuppressive agents in diseases classified as auto-immune in pathogenesis. Dameshek and Schwartz^1,2have shown that certain antimetabolities are capable of creating a drug-induced immunologic tolerance that theoretically should reduce the activity of diseases produced by altered immune mechanisms. Various immunosuppressive agents have been observed experimentally to reduce or prevent the primary^3,4and secondary⁵immune response in animals, decrease the level of γ-globulin,⁶inhibit immediate and delayed hypersensitivity,⁷and to induce a prolonged functionalsurvival state in homograft material.^8,9Furthermore, various clinical trials^10-13suggest potential beneficial effects of immunosuppressive agents in diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, auto-immune hemolytic anemia, hyperglobulinemia purpura, erythema nodosum, and polyarteritis nodosa, identified with immunologic mechanisms. One of these agents, azathioprine (Imuran)^14,15has shown sufficient promise to justify a clinical trial in ulcerative colitis. Azathioprine is a heterocyclic derivative of 6-mercaptopurine

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