What is belimumab? What is belimumab used for? Belimumab is a synthetic (man-made) injectable antibody that reduces the activity of immune cells called B-cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE is an inflammatory autoimmune disease, which means that the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and causes inflammation. Parts of the body …
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What is probenecid, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Probenecid is an oral drug used for reducing blood uric acid levels in patients with hyperuricemia (high uric acid) and/or. High uric acid can cause attacks of gout and kidney stones. Probenecid prevents attacks of gout by reducing uric acid levels in the blood. It does this by preventing …
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What is aurothiomalate, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Gold sodium thiomalate is a gold-containing chemical (salt) used in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Other gold salts available include injectable aurothioglucose (Solganal) and oral auranofin (Ridaura). It is not well understood exactly how gold salts work. In patients with inflammatory arthritis, such as adult and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, gold salts …
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What is certolizumab? What is certolizumab used for? Certolizumab is an injectable synthetic (man-made) protein antibody that binds to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in the body and blocks the effects of TNFα in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Adalimumab (Humira) and etanercept (Enbrel) are two other injectable drugs that block TNFα. Inflammation is the body's reaction to …
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What is flurbiprofen, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Flurbiprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) effective in treating fever, pain, and inflammation in the body. It is similar to ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil), naproxen (Naprosyn), and others. As a group, NSAIDs are non-narcotic relievers of mild to moderate pain of many causes, including injury, menstrual cramps, arthritis, …
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What are the uses for colchicine? Colchicine is used for the treatment of acute flares of gout. It also is used for treating FMF in adults and children 4 years of age or older. Other unapproved uses of colchicine include treatment of pseudogout, amyloidosis, and scleroderma. These unapproved uses of colchicine require further evaluation. What brand names are available for …
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What is Tofacitinib citrate (Xeljanz)? What is Xeljanz used for? Tofacitinib is an oral drug used for treating rheumatoid arthritis. It belongs to a class of drugs called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. JAKs are enzymes (proteins) that regulate chemical signaling pathways that control biologic processes such as blood formation and the immune response that causes the pain, tenderness and swelling …
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What is azathioprine, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Azathioprine is an immunosuppressant, that is, a drug that is used to suppress the immune system. It is used to treat patients who have undergone kidney transplantation and for diseases in which modifying the activity of the immune system is important. Azathioprine is a prodrug (a precursor of a …
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What is abatacept? What is abatacept used for? Abatacept is an injectable, synthetic (man-made) protein produced by recombinant DNA technology that is used for treating rheumatoid arthritis. It is an immunesuppressant, a drug that suppresses the immune system that is similar to alefacept (Amevive) and belatacept (Nulojix). The immune system is responsible for protecting the body against foreign invaders, for …
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What is zoledronic acid? What are the uses for zoledronic acid? Reclast is used for treatment of osteoporosis in men and postmenopausal women as well as Paget's disease. It also is used to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and treatment of steroid-induced osteoporosis. Treatment of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women Reclast is indicated for treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. In …
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