User:Mr. Ibrahem/Ciclosporin

Ciclosporin, also spelled cyclosporine and cyclosporin, is an immunosuppressant medication and natural product. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a vein for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, nephrotic syndrome, and in organ transplants to prevent rejection. It is also used as eye drops for keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes).

Common side effects include high blood pressure, headache, kidney problems, increased hair growth, and vomiting. Other severe side effects include an increased risk of infection, liver problems, and an increased risk of lymphoma. Blood levels of the medication should be checked to decrease the risk of side effects. Use during pregnancy may result in preterm birth; however, ciclosporin does not appear to cause birth defects.

Ciclosporin is believed to work by decreasing the function of lymphocytes. It does this by forming a complex with cyclophilin to block the phosphatase activity of calcineurin, which in turn decreases the production of inflammatory cytokines by T‐lymphocytes.

Ciclosporin was isolated in 1971 from the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum and came into medical use in 1983. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In 2016, the wholesale cost in the developing world was about US$106 a month. In the United Kingdom, it cost the NHS about £121 per month. The wholesale price in the United States was about US$173 per month. In 2017, it was the 248th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than one million prescriptions that year.