Immunosuppressant drugs are any type of pharmaceutical that suppresses the action of the immune system. They are used to:
- Prevent the rejection of transplanted organs
- Treat autoimmune diseases
- Treat long-term inflammatory diseases
The major side effect of this class of drugs is that they allow infection to spread without restriction. They can also cause high blood pressure, ulcers, and organ damage.
There are several classes of immunosuppressant drugs:
- Steroids, like prednisone, which suppress the effect of T cells and B cells
- Chemotherapy drugs, which affect the production of T cells and B cells
- Antibodies, which can actually be used to suppress the cells of the immune system itself
- Drugs that suppress immunophilins, which also suppress the effect of T cells
- Other drugs, such as interferon and narcotics