Azathioprine

/ˌæzəθaɪˈəʊpriːn/ noun

Definition

A powerful immunosuppressive drug used to treat autoimmune diseases and prevent organ rejection after transplants.

Etymology

A chemical name combining 'aza-' (indicating nitrogen-containing structure) with 'thio-' (sulfur-containing) and '-purine' (a type of chemical base), created by systematic pharmaceutical naming in the 1950s-60s.

Kelly Says

Azathioprine was a true breakthrough that transformed organ transplantation from nearly impossible to viable—by dampening the immune system's attack on foreign organs, it made thousands of life-saving transplants possible.

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