User:Mr. Ibrahem/Cysteamine

Cysteamine, also known as mercaptamine, is a medication used to treat cystinosis. It is taken by mouth to treat the kidneys and as an eye drop for the eye. The dose should be adjusted based on cystine levels in white blood cells.

Common side effects when taken by mouth include nausea, diarrhea, and fever. Common side effects as an eye drop include eye irritation, watery eyes, and blurry vision. Safety in pregnancy is unclear, with evidence of harm in other animals. It works by reacting with cystine for form cysteine and a salt the body can remove.

Cysteamine was approved for medical use in the United States in 1994 and Europe in 1997. In the United Kingdom 100 pill of 150 mg costs the NHS about £190; while 5 ml of eye drops is about £865 as of 2021. In the United States this amount of pills is about 22,200 USD; while the eye drops are about 2,000 USD.