Adverse effects of Cyclosporine

Ciclosporine (=cyclosporine, cyclosporine) is an immunosuppressive medicine used conventionally for the treatment of various conditions such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, ulcerative colitis, following organ transplant, etc.
It is effective as life saving measure in certain difficult disease conditions.

In brief, cyclosporine works by inhibiting the T-lymphocytes (a kind of white blood cells) which are responsible in the process of auto-immune diseases.

Cyclosporine may give several serious adverse effects; some of them could be listed here.

a. High blood pressure
b. Kidney toxicity
c. Liver toxicity
d. Swelling (hyperplasia) of gums
e. Ulcer in stomach (peptic ulcer)
f. Vomiting, diarrhea
g. Convulsions
h. Pancreatitis
i. Fever
j. Confused state of mind
k. Difficulty in breathing
l. Tingling and numbness of hands and legs
m. Itching
n. High level of potassium in body (hyperkalemia)
o. Inducing or worsening (existing) gout by its bad effects on kidney
p. Susceptibility to catch infections (fungal and viral)

Elderly people are more at risk of receiving the adverse effects.
 

Some of the medicines which adversely interact with cyclosporine, which is important for the patients as well the physician to know about, which include (not restricted to): antibiotics, anti-consultants, anti-inflammatory (NSAID, for pain), anti-hypertensive, etc. Some of the over the counter (OTC) products such as aspirin, ibugesic, St.John’s Wort (herbal product), etc.could interact with cyclosporine.