Drug General Information (ID: DDIFT8ONXP)
  Drug Name Allopurinol Drug Info Mercaptopurine Drug Info
  Drug Type Small molecule Small molecule
  Therapeutic Class Antimetabolites Antineoplastics
  Structure

 Mechanism of Allopurinol-Mercaptopurine Interaction (Severity Level: Major)
     Non-CYP450 enzyme inhibition Click to Show/Hide Mechanism Graph
Could Not Find 2D Structure
      Drug Name Allopurinol Mercaptopurine
      Mechanism Xanthine oxidase inhibitor Xanthine oxidase substrate
      Key Mechanism Factor 1
Factor Name Xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase
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Structure Sequence
MTADKLVFFVNGRKVVEKNADPETTLLAYLRRKLGLSGTKLGCGEGGCGACTVMLSKYDRLQNKIVHFSANACLAPICSLHHVAVTTVEGIGSTKTRLHPVQERIAKSHGSQCGFCTPGIVMSMYTLLRNQPEPTMEEIENAFQGNLCRCTGYRPILQGFRTFARDGGCCGGDGNNPNCCMNQKKDHSVSLSPSLFKPEEFTPLDPTQEPIFPPELLRLKDTPRKQLRFEGERVTWIQASTLKELLDLKAQHPDAKLVVGNTEIGIEMKFKNMLFPMIVCPAWIPELNSVEHGPDGISFGAACPLSIVEKTLVDAVAKLPAQKTEVFRGVLEQLRWFAGKQVKSVASVGGNIITASPISDLNPVFMASGAKLTLVSRGTRRTVQMDHTFFPGYRKTLLSPEEILLSIEIPYSREGEYFSAFKQASRREDDIAKVTSGMRVLFKPGTTEVQELALCYGGMANRTISALKTTQRQLSKLWKEELLQDVCAGLAEELHLPPDAPGGMVDFRCTLTLSFFFKFYLTVLQKLGQENLEDKCGKLDPTFASATLLFQKDPPADVQLFQEVPKGQSEEDMVGRPLPHLAADMQASGEAVYCDDIPRYENELSLRLVTSTRAHAKIKSIDTSEAKKVPGFVCFISADDVPGSNITGICNDETVFAKDKVTCVGHIIGAVVADTPEHTQRAAQGVKITYEELPAIITIEDAIKNNSFYGPELKIEKGDLKKGFSEADNVVSGEIYIGGQEHFYLETHCTIAVPKGEAGEMELFVSTQNTMKTQSFVAKMLGVPANRIVVRVKRMGGGFGGKETRSTVVSTAVALAAYKTGRPVRCMLDRDEDMLITGGRHPFLARYKVGFMKTGTVVALEVDHFSNVGNTQDLSQSIMERALFHMDNCYKIPNIRGTGRLCKTNLPSNTAFRGFGGPQGMLIAECWMSEVAVTCGMPAEEVRRKNLYKEGDLTHFNQKLEGFTLPRCWEECLASSQYHARKSEVDKFNKENCWKKRGLCIIPTKFGISFTVPFLNQAGALLHVYTDGSVLLTHGGTEMGQGLHTKMVQVASRALKIPTSKIYISETSTNTVPNTSPTAASVSADLNGQAVYAACQTILKRLEPYKKKNPSGSWEDWVTAAYMDTVSLSATGFYRTPNLGYSFETNSGNPFHYFSYGVACSEVEIDCLTGDHKNLRTDIVMDVGSSLNPAIDIGQVEGAFVQGLGLFTLEELHYSPEGSLHTRGPSTYKIPAFGSIPIEFRVSLLRDCPNKKAIYASKAVGEPPLFLAASIFFAIKDAIRAARAQHTGNNVKELFRLDSPATPEKIRNACVDKFTTLCVTGVPENCKPWSVRV
Gene Name XDH
Uniprot ID XDH_HUMAN
KEGG Pathway hsa:7498
Protein Family Xanthine dehydrogenase family
Protein Function
Key enzyme in purine degradation. Catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine. Catalyzes the oxidation of xanthine to uric acid. Contributes to the generation of reactive oxygen species. Has also low oxidase activity towards aldehydes (in vitro).
    Click to Show/Hide
      Mechanism Description
  • Decreased metabolism of Mercaptopurine caused by Allopurinol mediated inhibition of non-CYP450 enzyme

Recommended Action
      Management Caution is advised if allopurinol must be used concomitantly with oral thiopurines. Most authorities recommend that thiopurine dosage be reduced to approximately 1/4 to 1/3 the usual dosage, and the patient closely monitored for hematologic and other toxicity. Subsequent doses should be adjusted based on therapeutic response and appearance of adverse effects. Patients should be advised to consult their physician if they develop signs and symptoms suggestive of thiopurine toxicity such as fever, chills, sore throat, fatigue, lethargy, pallor, anorexia, jaundice, dark urine, nausea, vomiting, signs of local infection, and unusual bleeding or bruising.

References
1 Berns A, Rubenfeld S, Rymzo WT "Hazard of combining allopurinol and thiopruine." N Engl J Med 286 (1972): 730-1. [PMID: 5061067]
2 Boyd IW "Allopurinol-azathioprine interaction." J Intern Med 229 (1991): 386. [PMID: 2026995]
3 Brooks RJ, Dorr RT, Durie BG "Interaction of allopurinol with 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine." Biomed 36 (1982): 217-22. [PMID: 6891901]
4 Coffey JJ, White CA, Lesk AB, Rogers WI, Serpick AA "Effect of allopurinol on the pharmacokinetics of 6-mercaptopurine (NSC 755) in cancer patients." Cancer Res 32 (1972): 1283-9. [PMID: 5030828]
5 Cox GJ, Robertson DB "Toxic erythema of palms and soles associated with high-dose mercaptopurine chemotherapy." Arch Dermatol 122 (1986): 1413-4. [PMID: 2947543]
6 Cummins D, Sekar M, Halil O, Banner N "Myelosuppression associated with azathioprine-allopurinol interaction after heart and lung transplantation." Transplantation 61 (1996): 1661-2. [PMID: 8669118]
7 Gearry RB, Day AS, Barclay ML, Leong RW, Sparrow MP "Azathioprine and allopurinol: A two-edged interaction." J Gastroenterol Hepatol 25 (2010): 653-5. [PMID: 20492321]
8 Haagsma CJ "Clinically important drug interactions with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs." Drugs Aging 13 (1998): 281-9. [PMID: 9805209]
9 Kelley WN "Current therapy of gout and hyperuricemia." Hosp Pract 11 (1976): 69-76. [PMID: 1027698]
10 Kennedy DT, Hayney MS, Lake KD "Azathioprine and allopurinol: the price of an avoidable drug interaction." Ann Pharmacother 30 (1996): 951-4. [PMID: 8876853]
11 Krowka MJ, Breuer RI, Kehoe TJ "Azathioprine-associated pulmonary dysfunction." Chest 83 (1983): 696-8. [PMID: 6831960]
12 Product Information. Imuran (azathioprine). Glaxo Wellcome, Research Triangle Park, NC.
13 Product Information. Purinethol (mercaptopurine). Glaxo Wellcome, Research Triangle Pk, NC.
14 Venkat Raman G, Sharman Vl, Lee HA "Azathioprine and allopurinol: a potentially dangerous combination." J Intern Med 228 (1990): 69-71. [PMID: 2384739]
15 Zazgornik J, Kopsa H, Schmidt P, Kuschan K, Deutsch E "Increased danger of bone marrow damage in simultaneous azathioprine-allopurinol therapy." Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol 19 (1981): 96-7. [PMID: 7228457]
16 Zimm S, Collins JM, O'Neill D, Chabner BA, Poplack DG "Inhibition of first-pass metabolism in cancer chemotherapy: interaction of 6-mercaptopurine and allopurinol." Clin Pharmacol Ther 34 (1983): 810-7. [PMID: 6580097]
17 Zimm S, Ettinger LJ, Holcenberg JS, Kamen BA, Vietti TJ, Belasco J, Cogliano-Shutta N, Balis F, Lavi LE, Collins JM, et al "Phase I and clinical pharmacological study of mercaptopurine administered as a prolonged intravenous infusion." Cancer Res 45 (1985): 1869-73. [PMID: 4038917]