Cyclosporine

Cyclosporine, drug used to prevent rejection of tissues and organs in transplant patients. It is produced from cultures of the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum. Cyclosporine suppresses the functioning of the immune system, most likely by inhibiting the production of a type of white blood cell—the T- helper cell—that is responsible for attacking foreign substances. Cyclosporine is also showing promise in the treatment of certain immunologic diseases. It is a potent compound with the potential for side effects, the most serious of which include hypertension, reduced kidney function, liver damage, and abnormal growth of hair.