Leflunomide for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmunity.

Suzanne Sanders, Valee Harisdangkul

Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216, USA.

The American journal of the medical sciences 2002 Apr

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Leflunomide, a new oral immunomodulatory agent, is effective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Its mechanism of action in suppressing inflammation is based in its inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, an enzyme responsible for de novo synthesis of pyrimidine containing ribonucleotides. It is the first disease-modifying antirheumatic drug approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with an indication for retardation of joint damage by radiography. Side effects are generally mild and include diarrhea, rashes, reversible alopecia, and elevation of hepatic transaminases. Despite the concern about hepatotoxicity, combination use with methotrexate in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been shown to be safe. Other autoimmune diseases in which leflunomide has been used successfully include Felty syndrome, vasculitis, Sjogren syndrome, Wegener granulomatosis, and bullous pemphigoid.

Citation

Suzanne Sanders, Valee Harisdangkul. Leflunomide for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmunity. The American journal of the medical sciences. 2002 Apr;323(4):190-3