Digestive Health Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment Side Effects of Imuran (Azathioprine) Certain side effects should be reported to your healthcare provider right away. By Amber J. Tresca Amber J. Tresca Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Amber J. Tresca is a freelance writer and speaker who covers digestive conditions, including IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 16. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 09, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH Medically reviewed by Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH LinkedIn Robert Burakoff, MD, MPH, is board-certified in gastroentrology. He is the vice chair for ambulatory services for the department of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, where he is also a professor. He was the founding editor and co-editor in chief of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Imuran (azathioprine) is an immunosuppressive antimetabolite drug that may be prescribed to treat conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or rheumatoid arthritis. Imuran might also be used in patients who have had an organ transplant in order to prevent the body from rejecting the organ. This drug suppresses the immune system. In most cases, Imuran is used to treat IBD after other drugs have not worked. It might also be used at the same time as steroids. Medications that affect the immune system might increase the risk of developing an infection, and precautions might need to be taken to protect against infections. People taking Imuran should not receive any live vaccines. It might also be necessary to avoid people who are sick. Any sign of infection should be discussed with a healthcare provider right away. Samir / CC by 3.0 Black Box Warning Imuran tablets contain a black box warning related to the possibility of developing a specific kind of cancer. This is related in particular to people who take the drug and also have IBD. The risk of developing cancer should be weighed against the risk of not treating the IBD with this drug. Cancer risks in people with IBD are still an ongoing topic for debate and study, so it is important to take a common sense approach when considering the risks. Some studies have shown a risk, but others have not. Be sure to discuss this potential adverse effect with your healthcare providers so that you can understand your individual risk. "Chronic immunosuppression with Imuran, a purine antimetabolite increases risk of malignancy in humans. Reports of malignancy include post-transplant lymphoma and hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Healthcare providers using this drug should be very familiar with this risk as well as with the mutagenic potential to both men and women and with possible hematologic toxicities. Healthcare providers should inform patients of the risk of malignancy with Imuran." Side Effects The following include the most common side effects of using Imuran. Check with your healthcare provider if any of the listed side effects continue or are bothersome: Loss of appetiteNausea or vomiting Less commonly, skin rash may occur. Severe Side Effects Notify your healthcare provider if you develop any of the following symptoms while taking Imuran. Cough, hoarseness Fever or chills Lower back or side pain Painful or difficult urination Unusual tiredness, weakness Black, tarry stools Blood in urine or stools Pinpoint red spots on the skin Unusual bleeding or bruising Rarely, the following severe side effects may occur: Fast heartbeat Fever (sudden) Muscle or joint pain Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (severe) Redness or blisters on the skin Shortness of breath Sores in the mouth, on lips Stomach pain Swelling of feet or lower legs A feeling of discomfort or illness (sudden) Complications Your healthcare provider will watch for any liver problems this medicine may cause. Because of the way this medicine acts on the body, there is a chance that it might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. According to a study published in 2010, taking azathioprine was associated with a greater risk of lymphomas but not other types of cancers. After you stop this medicine, there may still be some side effects. During this time notify your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you notice any of the following: Black, tarry stoolsBlood in urineCough or hoarsenessFever or chillsLower back or side painPainful or difficult urinationPinpoint red spots on the skinUnusual bleeding or bruising A Word From Verywell Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare provider. This information is meant only as a guideline—always consult a healthcare provider or pharmacist for complete information about prescription medications. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! We're providing tips on how to take better care of your gut. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 2 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. IMURAN (azathioprine). Armstrong RG, West J, Card TR. Risk of cancer in inflammatory bowel disease treated with azathioprine: a UK population-based case-control study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010;105(7):1604-9. doi:10.1038/ajg.2009.745