Neoral prevents organ rejection after a transplant. May increase your risk of getting an infection. Tell your doctor if you notice symptoms of an infection such as fever.
Neoral is a prescription medication used to prevent transplant rejection in those who have received kidney, liver, and heart transplants. Neoral may also be used to treat psoriasis and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Neoral belongs to a group of drugs called immunosuppressants. They work by decreasing the activity of the immune system.
Neoral comes as a capsule and an oral liquid solution. It is usually taken twice a day. This medication is available as a modified form of cyclosporine that has been slightly changed to be more easily absorbed by the body.
Common side effects of Neoral include high blood pressure, gum overgrowth, and tremors.
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Neoral is a prescription medication used to prevent transplant rejection in those who have received kidney, liver, and heart transplants.
Neoral may also be used to treat psoriasis symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Tell your doctor if any side effect is bothersome or does not go away. Neoral may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication.
This is not a complete list of Neoral drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Neoral is available as a modified (changed) form of cyclosporine so that the medication can be better absorbed in the body. Original cyclosporine and cyclosporine (modified) are absorbed by the body in different amounts, so they cannot be substituted for one another. Take only the type of cyclosporine that was prescribed by your doctor. When your doctor gives you a written prescription, check to be sure that he or she has specified the type of cyclosporine you should receive. Each time you have your prescription filled, look at the brand name printed on your prescription label to be sure that you have received the same type of cyclosporine. Talk to your pharmacist if the brand name is unfamiliar or you are not sure you have received the right type of cyclosporine.
If you have psoriasis, tell your doctor about all the psoriasis treatments and medications you are using or have used in the past. The risk that you will develop skin cancer is greater if you have ever been treated with PUVA (psoralen and UVA; treatment for psoriasis that combines an oral or topical medication with exposure to ultraviolet A light); methotrexate (Rheumatrex) or other medications that suppress the immune system; UVB (exposure to ultraviolet B light to treat psoriasis); coal tar; or radiation therapy. You should not be treated with PUVA, UVB, or medications that suppress the immune system while you are taking Neoral to treat psoriasis.
Neoral may cause growth of extra tissue in your gums. Be sure to brush your teeth carefully and see a dentist regularly during your treatment to decrease the risk that you will develop this side effect.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body's response to Neoral.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Neoral and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.
Neoral falls into category C. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Neoral is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.
Neoral comes as a capsule and a solution (liquid) to take by mouth. Neoral is usually taken twice a day. It is important to take Neoral on a regular schedule. Take Neoral at the same time(s) each day, and allow the same amount of time between doses and meals every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Neoral exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of the medication or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
You may notice an unusual smell when you open a blister card of Neoral capsules. This is normal and does not mean that the medication is damaged or unsafe to use.
Neoral oral solution may gel or become lumpy if it is exposed to temperatures below 68 °F (20 °C). You can use the solution even if it has gelled, or you can turn the solution back to a liquid by allowing it to warm to room temperature (77 °F [25 °C]).
Neoral oral solution must be mixed with a liquid before use. Neoral oral solution may be mixed with orange juice or apple juice but should not be mixed with milk. You should choose one drink from the appropriate list and always mix your medication with that drink.
If you take too much Neoral, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.
If Neoral is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.
Oral Neoral: throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed.
Only physicians experienced in management of systemic immunosuppressive therapy for the indicated disease should prescribe Neoral. At doses used in solid organ transplantation, only physicians experienced in immunosuppressive therapy and management of organ transplant recipients should prescribe Neoral. Patients receiving the drug should be managed in facilities equipped and staffed with adequate laboratory and supportive medical resources. The physician responsible for maintenance therapy should have complete information requisite for the follow-up of the patient.
Neoral, a systemic immunosuppressant, may increase the susceptibility to infection and the development of neoplasia. In kidney, liver, and heart transplant patients Neoral may be administered with other immunosuppressive agents. Increased susceptibility to infection and the possible development of lymphoma and other neoplasms may result from the increase in the degree of immunosuppression in transplant patients.
Neoral Soft Gelatin Capsules MODIFIED and Neoral Oral Solution MODIFIED have increased bioavailability in comparison to Sandimmune Soft Gelatin Capsules and Sandimmune Oral Solution. Neoral and Sandimmune are not bioequivalent and cannot be used interchangeably without physician supervision. For a given trough concentration, cyclosporine exposure will be greater with Neoral than with Sandimmune. If a patient who is receiving exceptionally high doses of Sandimmune is converted to Neoral, particular caution should be exercised. Cyclosporine blood concentrations should be monitored in transplant and rheumatoid arthritis patients taking Neoral to avoid toxicity due to high concentrations. Dose adjustments should be made in transplant patients to minimize possible organ rejection due to low concentrations. Comparison of blood concentrations in the published literature with blood concentrations obtained using current assays must be done with detailed knowledge of the assay methods employed.
Psoriasis patients previously treated with PUVA and to a lesser extent, methotrexate or other immunosuppressive agents, UVB, coal tar, or radiation therapy, are at an increased risk of developing skin malignancies when taking Neoral.
Cyclosporine, the active ingredient in Neoral, in recommended dosages, can cause systemic hypertension and nephrotoxicity. The risk increases with increasing dose and duration of cyclosporine therapy. Renal dysfunction, including structural kidney damage, is a potential consequence of cyclosporine, and therefore, renal function must be monitored during therapy.