title: Cyclosporin A: pharmacologic activity on the immune system and effects in clinical organ transplantation.
abstract: The recently discovered fungal metabolite cyclosporin A (CsA) is a potent immunosuppressant that is effective in preventing transplantation rejection due to allografts and even xenografts. Due to its influence on the biological activity of T-helper lymphocytes CsA's mechanism of action includes inhibition of cell-mediated cytolysis and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction. In addition to studies of the molecular mechanism of action, data on the pharmacokinetics of CsA are given. CsA does not cause anti-mitotic and/or cytotoxic effects. The side effects of the agent are relatively mild and appear to be reversible. CsA has been successfully used clinically in renal, bone-marrow, heart, heart-lung, liver, and pancreas transplantation. The application of the compound in organ transplantation appears to be superior to conventional immunosuppressive therapy.
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000187:drug effects; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007700:Kinetics; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation; D014181:Transplantation Immunology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003524:Cyclosporins