Introduction
Drug - Neoral (Cyclosporin)
Drug - Tacrolimus (FK506)
Drug - Simulect/ADG/Zenapax
Possible Complication

Introduction
Patients who receives a transplant requires life-time immunosuppressant drug to prevent their transplanted organ from being attacked by the body's immune system. Today, many hospitals combine several different immunosuppressant drugs together to treat transplant patients, which can give maximum protection while minimizing any side effects.

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Drug - Neoral (Cyclosporin)
NeoralR (cyclosporine is the most commonly used anti-rejection medication. It is used for life-long treatment (called 'maintenance' treatment) after a transplant. Today, cyclosporine is being used most commonly on kidney transplant, heart/lung transplant and sometime being used on liver transplant.


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Drug - Tacrolimus (FK506)
Tacrolimus is a drug that suppresses the immune system and is used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs. Tacrolimus accomplishes its immune-suppressing effecting by inhibiting an enzyme (calcineurin) crucial for the multiplication of T-cells, cells that are vital to the immune process. The use of oral tacrolimus allows transplantation specialists to reduce the dose of steroids which are also used to prevent rejection. This "steroid-sparing effect" is important because of the many side effects that can occur when larger doses of steroids are used for a long period of time. Tacrolimus was approved by the FDA in April, 1994 for liver transplantation. Today, tacrolimus is not only being used for liver transplant but also has been used in patients for heart, kidney, small bowel, and bone marrow transplantation.

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Drug - Simulect/ADG/Zenapax
Both three drugs are monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies agent - which is used as "rescue" drugs for acute rejection episodes. You can think of these as anti-T-cell antibodies, which bind to, and destroy, your T-cells. Daclizumab (Zenapax) and basiliximab (Simulect) are 2 most recently approved monoclonal antibody treatments drug.


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Possible Complication
There are complications associated with transplantation, in the same way as for other major medical treatments.
The transplanted organ must be protected from the body's immune system by anti-rejection medication, which must be taken every day. When these anti-rejection medications suppress the immune system's response to the new organ, they also weaken the body's ability to fight other 'invaders'. There is therefore a greater chance of developing infections or cancer (usually a small skin cancer) after a transplant.
The most frequently used anti-rejection medications can cause kidney damage. Several anti-rejection medications also increase the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Doctors check for all these possible complications at regular clinic visits after a transplant.

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