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Gengraf (Oral)

Generic name: cyclosporine [ sye-kloe-SPOR-een ]
Brand names: Gengraf, Neoral, SandIMMUNE
Drug class: Calcineurin inhibitors

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 23, 2023.

Oral route(Capsule;Capsule, Liquid Filled;Solution)

Only physicians experienced in immunosuppressive therapy and management of organ transplant patients should prescribe cyclosporine. 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.

Cyclosporine should be administered with adrenal corticosteroids but not with other immunosuppressive agents. Increased susceptibility to infection and the possible development lymphoma may result from immunosuppression.

Cyclosporine capsules and cyclosporine solution have decreased bioavailability in comparison to cyclosporine MODIFIED capsules and cyclosporine MODIFIED solution.

Cyclosporine and cyclosporine MODIFIED are not bioequivalent and cannot be used interchangeably without physician supervision.

The absorption of cyclosporine during chronic administration of cyclosporine capsules and oral solution was found to be erratic. It is recommended that patients taking the soft gelatin capsules or oral solution over a period of time be monitored at repeated intervals for cyclosporine blood concentrations and subsequent dose adjustments be made in order to avoid toxicity due to high concentrations and possible organ rejection due to low absorption of cyclosporine. This is of special importance in liver transplants. Numerous assays are being developed to measure blood concentrations of cyclosporine. Comparisons of concentrations in published literature to patient concentrations using current assays must be done with detailed knowledge of the assay methods employed .

Oral route(Capsule, Liquid Filled;Solution)

Only physicians experienced in management of systemic immunosuppressive therapy for the indicated disease should prescribe cyclo

SPORINE, modified. Increased susceptibility to infection and the possible development of lymphoma may result from immunosuppression. Hypertension and nephrotoxicity can occur at recommended dosages, and the risk increases with increasing dose and duration of cyclo

SPORINE therapy. Monitor blood levels and renal function to avoid toxicity. Cyclo

SPORINE, modified (Neoral(R) or Gengraf(R)) and cyclo

SPORINE (Sandimmune(R)) are not bioequivalent and cannot be used interchangeably without physician supervision. Psoriasis patients previously treated with PUVA and to a lesser extent, methotrexate or other immunosuppressive agents, UV-B, coal tar, or radiation therapy, are at an increased risk of developing skin malignancies when taking cyclo

SPORINE .

Uses for Gengraf

Cyclosporine is used in combination with other medicines (eg, azathioprine, steroid medicines) to prevent the body from rejecting a transplanted organ (eg, kidney, liver, or heart). It belongs to a group of medicines known as immunosuppressive agents. When a patient receives an organ transplant, the body's white blood cells will try to get rid of (reject) the transplanted organ. Cyclosporine works by suppressing the immune system to prevent the white blood cells from trying to get rid of the transplanted organ.

Cyclosporine is also used to treat severe active rheumatoid arthritis in patients who have taken other medicines (eg, methotrexate) that did not work well. It is also used to treat severe plaque psoriasis, which is a skin disease with red patches and white scales that do not go away. It is given to patients who have received other types of treatment (eg, PUVA, retinoids, methotrexate) that did not work well.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using Gengraf

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of cyclosporine have not been performed in children receiving organ transplants. However, no pediatric-specific problems have been documented to date.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of cyclosporine in children with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of cyclosporine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have high blood pressure or age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving cyclosporine.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Proper use of Gengraf

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more or less of it and do not take it more often than your doctor ordered. Using too much will increase the chance for side effects, while using too little may cause you to reject your transplanted organ.

This medicine is always used together with other medicines. Make sure you understand when to take all of your medicines. Your doctor will give you a daily plan for taking your medicines.

Use only the brand of this medicine that your doctor prescribed. Different brands may not work the same way.

Take this medicine the same way every day. Take it at the same time and take it consistently, either with or without food.

Measure the oral liquid only with the dosing syringe that comes with the package. The dosing syringe should be wiped with a clean towel after it is used and stored in its container. Do not rinse the dosing syringe with water or other cleaning agents before or after use.

To make Neoral® oral liquid taste better, mix it in a glass container with apple juice or orange juice (preferably at room temperature). Use a glass container, not plastic. Stir it well and drink it immediately. After drinking all the liquid containing the medicine, rinse the glass with a little more liquid and drink that also, to make sure you get all the medicine.

To make Sandimmune® oral liquid taste better, mix it in a glass container with milk, chocolate milk, or orange juice (preferably at room temperature).

You should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you are using this medicine. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice will increase the amount of medicine in the body.

Do not stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. You might have to take medicine for the rest of your life to prevent your body from rejecting the transplant.

If you are using sirolimus, take it 4 hours after you use cyclosporine.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Do not keep the oral liquid in the refrigerator. Throw away any unused medicine 60 days after the bottle is opened for the first time.

Detailed Gengraf dosage information

Precautions while using Gengraf

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

You will also need to have your blood pressure measured before starting this medicine and while you are using it. If you notice any change to your recommended blood pressure, call your doctor right away. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.

Do not take cyclosporine if you are receiving treatment for psoriasis, including PUVA or UVB therapy, methotrexate (Rheumatrex®), coal tar, or radiation therapy.

Check with your doctor right away if you have blood in the urine, change in the frequency of urination or amount of urine, difficulty breathing, drowsiness, increased thirst, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, or swelling of the feet or lower legs, or weakness. These may be symptoms of a serious kidney problem.

Do not use supplements or salt substitutes containing potassium without first checking with your doctor.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

This medicine may increase your risk of getting skin cancer or lymphoma. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.

This medicine may increase your risk of developing infections. Avoid being near people who are sick while you are using this medicine. Wash your hands often. Tell your doctor if you have any kind of infection before you start using this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have ever had an infection that would not go away or an infection that kept coming back.

This medicine may cause thrombotic microangiopathy (damage in the smallest blood vessels) and hemolytic anemia. Tell your doctor right away if you have back, leg, or stomach pains, bleeding gums, chills, dark urine, difficulty breathing, fever, general body welling, headache, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, nosebleeds, pale skin, sore throat, sudden, severe chest pain, sudden weakness in arms or legs, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.

Tell your doctor if you are taking a corticosteroid or another medicine that may weaken your immune system. This may increase your risk for developing a serious infection.

If you are taking this medicine after a kidney transplant, it may increase your risk for developing rare and serious virus infections, including polyoma virus-associated nephropathy (PVAN), progressive multiple leukoencephalopathy (PML), and BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVAN). The BK virus may affect how your kidneys work and cause a transplanted kidney to fail. Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody urine, a decreased frequency or amount of urine, increased thirst, loss of appetite, lower back or side pain, nausea, swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs, trouble breathing, unusual tiredness or weakness, vomiting, or weight gain.

Tell your doctor right away if you have seizures, headaches, confusion, vision problems, unusual drowsiness, tiredness, or weakness. These could be symptoms of a serious nervous system problem called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES).

While you are being treated with cyclosporine, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Cyclosporine may lower your body's resistance and the vaccine may not work as well or you might get the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, you should not be around other persons living in your household who receive live virus vaccines because there is a chance they could pass the virus on to you. Some examples of live vaccines include measles, mumps, influenza (nasal flu vaccine), poliovirus (oral form), rotavirus, and rubella. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.

In some patients (usually younger patients), tenderness, swelling, or bleeding of the gums may appear soon after treatment with cyclosporine is started. Brushing and flossing your teeth, carefully and regularly, and massaging your gums may help prevent this. See your dentist regularly to have your teeth cleaned. Check with your medical doctor or dentist if you have any questions about how to take care of your teeth and gums, or if you notice any tenderness, swelling, or bleeding of your gums.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight and can increase your risk of having skin cancer. If you are being treated for psoriasis, check with your doctor first before having an ultraviolet (UV) light treatment. Use a sunscreen when you are outdoors and avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.

This medicine may cause a serious nervous system problem. Tell your doctor right away if you have confusion, loss of consciousness, mental changes, muscle weakness, seizures, or vision changes.

This medicine may cause dizziness, confusion, or sleepiness. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects of Gengraf

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Less common

Rare

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Less common

Rare

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Gengraf side effects (more detail)

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

In Canada

Available Dosage Forms:

Therapeutic Class: Immune Suppressant

Pharmacologic Class: Calcineurin Inhibitor

Frequently asked questions

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

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