CYCLOSPORINE -
Noun: A drug used with ATG / ALG treatment to further suppress the immune system by inhibiting the activity of only the T lymphocytes . It is also used in bone marrow transplants to help handle GVHD . It also decreases the body's ability to fight off infections.

It can have a number of side effects which should be known.

Very serious

Seek immediate medical attention if any of these symptoms occur:

• blood in urine
• chills
• fever
• increased urge to urinate

Serious

• confusion
• nervousness
• unusual weakness or tiredness
• difficulty breathing
• shortness of breath
• tender, enlarged, or bleeding gums
• nausea or vomiting
• stomach pain (severe)
• irregular heartbeat
• convulsions
• numbness

Minor

These effects need no attention unless they become annoying:

• headache
• leg cramps
• trembling or shaking of the hands
• acne
• increased body hair

The British Medical Association and an article from healthcentral.com state that when taking cyclosporine, one should avoid eating excessive amounts of foods high in potassium such as bananas, oranges, orange juice, milk, waffles, oatmeal, tomatoes, and baked beans. Also according to an article in the April 5 2000 issue of JAMA , there are some reports that the herb St. John's Wort causes significant changes in the patients response to cyclosporine. In following this up I found it was 2 patients whose heart transplants had worked smoothly for a year and who began taking St. John's Wort. Their bodies quickly started rejecting their new hearts. The supposition is that the herb sped up their bodies' normal removal of cyclosporine.

A warning on the Cyclosporin drug package says to avoid grapefruit juice as it may block the breakdown of cyclosporine by the liver (the opposite problem to the above). If this happens, blood levels of cyclosporine could be increased and this could increase serious side effects. Avoid drinking any product with grapefruit juice.

Inform your doctor if you are taking any supplements, home remedies or other medical prescriptions to avoid any problems.

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