Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet
Product introduction
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet is used in the treatment of blood cancer. It works by decreasing the number of red blood cells that are produced by the body. Thereby preventing the cancer cells from growing and multiplying.
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet can be taken with or without food, or you can have it one hour before or two hours after the meal. Your doctor will decide what dose is necessary and how often you need to take it. This will depend on what you are being treated for and may change from time to time. You should take it exactly as your doctor has advised. Taking it in the wrong way or taking too much can cause very serious side effects. It may take several weeks or months for you to see or feel the benefits, but do not stop taking it unless your doctor tells you to.
The most common side effects of this medicine include nausea, vomiting, rash, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. This medicine may reduce the number of blood cells (decrease red blood and white blood cells) in your blood, thereby increasing your susceptibility to infections. Regular blood tests are required to check your blood cells, along with heart, liver, and blood uric acid levels. You have to avoid driving or attention-seeking activities if you experience dizziness while taking this medicine.
Before taking it, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, liver or kidney problems, or are taking any medicines to treat infections. Many other medicines can affect, or be affected by, this medicine, so let your doctor know about all medications you are using. This medicine is not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. The use of effective contraception by both males and females during treatment is important to avoid pregnancy.
Uses of Mercaptopurin Tablet
Benefits of Mercaptopurin Tablet
In Treatment of Blood cancer
Blood cancer, also called leukemia, is a cancer of the blood-forming tissues that decreases the body's ability to fight infection. Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet kills or stops the growth of cancer cells and prevents the multiplication of cancer cells. It is an effective medicine, but you should discuss the side effects and benefits of this medicine with your doctor. Let your doctor know if any of the side effects bother you.
Side effects of Mercaptopurin Tablet
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Mercaptopurin
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rash
- Decreased white blood cell count (neutrophils)
- Intestinal ulcer
- Anemia (low number of red blood cells)
- Increased bilirubin in the blood
- Low blood platelets
- Increased transaminase level in blood
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
How to use Mercaptopurin Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Mercaptopurin Tablet works
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet interferes with the growth of DNA and RNA of the cancer cells by substituting their building blocks. It prevents the cancer cells from growing and multiplying.
Safety advice
Alcohol
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
It is not known whether it is safe to consume alcohol with Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet. Please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet is unsafe to use during pregnancy as there is definite evidence of risk to the developing baby. However, the doctor may rarely prescribe it in some life-threatening situations if the benefits are more than the potential risks. Please consult your doctor.
Breast feeding
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet is probably unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug may pass into the breastmilk and harm the baby.
Driving
SAFE
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet does not usually affect your ability to drive.
Kidney
CAUTION
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Liver
CAUTION
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with liver disease. Dose adjustment of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Inform your doctor if you develop any signs and symptoms of jaundice while taking this medicine.
Inform your doctor if you develop any signs and symptoms of jaundice while taking this medicine.
What if you forget to take Mercaptopurin Tablet?
If you miss a dose of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.
All substitutes
For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet
₹4.7/Tablet
6-MP 50mg Tablet
Zydus Cadila
₹5.98/tablet
27% costlier
Quick tips
- Do not drive or do anything requiring concentration until you know how it affects you.
- Use a reliable contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy while you are taking this medicine.
- Your doctor may get regular blood and urine tests done to monitor your blood cells and kidney and liver function during treatment with this medicine.
- Inform your doctor immediately if you notice any signs of infection, such as fever, sore throat, rash, or severe diarrhea.
Fact Box
Chemical Class
Purinethiones
Habit Forming
No
Therapeutic Class
ANTI NEOPLASTICS
Action Class
Antimetabolites
Interaction with drugs
Taking Mercaptopurin with any of the following medicines can modify the effect of either of them and cause some undesirable side effects
Do not consume Mercaptopurine from 1 day before until 1 day after taking Sargramostim. Please consult your doctor.
Concurrent use may cause a decrease in the ability of the bone m
Do not use Mercaptopurine with Herpes Zoster / Shingles Vaccine (Recombinant, Adjuvanted). If essential, please consult your doctor. Mercaptopurine may reduce efficacy of Herpes Zo
Do not consume Filgrastim from 24 hours before or 24 hours after taking Mercaptopurine. Please consult with your doctor. Mercaptopurine may reduce the efficacy of Filgrastim.
Do not consume Mercaptopurine from 14 days before until 24 days after taking Pegfilgrastim. Please consult your doctor.
Concurrent use may cause a decrease in the ability of the b
Do not use Mercaptopurine with Purified Vi Polysaccharide Typhoid Vaccine. If essential, please consult your doctor. Mercaptopurine may reduce efficacy of Purified Vi Polysaccharid
Patient concerns
FAQs
What is Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet used for?
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet is a chemotherapy medicine used to treat a blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It helps stop the growth of cancer cells and is often used during the maintenance phase of treatment.
What are the serious side effects of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet?
Serious side effects of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet include low blood counts (increasing risk of infection, bleeding, or anemia), liver damage (jaundice, stomach pain), new types of cancer (like lymphoma), and severe infections. Contact your doctor if you notice signs like yellowing of the skin or eyes, bruising easily, or fever.
Can Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet cause birth defects?
Yes, Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet can harm an unborn baby. Women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should avoid this medication. Use effective birth control during the treatment and for a few months (6 months for women, 3 months for men) after the treatment.
What tests might be needed before taking Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet?
Your doctor may test for certain gene (TPMT or NUDT15) deficiencies, which affect how your body breaks down Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet. If you have a deficiency, you may need a lower dose to avoid serious side effects like low blood cell counts.
Can Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet cause new cancers?
In rare cases, yes. Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet can increase the risk of secondary cancers such as lymphoma, especially when used with other immune-suppressing medications.
Does Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet cause hair loss?
Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet may cause hair loss or thinning. However, this side effect is not so common but is possible depending upon the condition, its severity, dose, and duration. Higher doses and/or longer duration may increase the chance of hair loss.
How long does Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet take to show results?
The exact time Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet takes to show results is not known. However, you may start experiencing some improvement in your symptoms in a few months or with regular prescribed usage.
Does Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet affect my liver?
Liver toxicity is a common side effect of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet. Your doctor may frequently perform liver function tests during Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet treatment and may modify the Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet dose based on the liver enzyme levels.
Why am I not feeling hungry after taking Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet?
Loss of appetite is a common side effect of Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet treatment. Inform your doctor if it becomes severe or if you notice any weight loss.
How to store Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet?
You should store Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet below room temperature. Keep Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet in a child-resistant container away from light and moisture. Additionally, Mercaptopurin 50mg Tablet is a toxic medicine and special handling procedures should be followed as mentioned in the package label/insert.
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Disclaimer:
Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.References
- Chu E, Sartorelli AC. Cancer Chemotherapy. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. p. 948.
- Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 864-66.
- Mercaptopurine. Dublin, Ireland: Aspen; 2012 [revised 17 Dec. 2018]. [Accessed 29 Jan. 2019] (online) Available from:
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006. Mercaptopurine. [Updated 2020 Jan 20]. [Accessed 18 Feb. 2020] (online) Available from:
- Mercaptopurine monohydrate [Product Information]. Dublin, Ireland: Nova Laboratories Ireland Ltd.; [Accessed 02 Apr. 2025] (online) Available from:
- Mercaptopurine monohydrate [Product Information]. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.; [Accessed 02 Apr. 2025] (online) Available from:
Marketer details
Name: Serum Institute Of India Ltd
Address: 212/2, Hadapsar, Off Soli Poonawalla Road, Pune 411028 India
Country of origin: India
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