Is mercaptopurine a chemotherapy drug?

Yes, it is a type of chemotherapy drug known as an antimetabolite.

How is mercaptopurine taken?

It is typically taken orally in tablet form.

Can mercaptopurine be used for conditions other than cancer?

Yes, it is also used as an immunosuppressant for autoimmune conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.

What are common side effects of mercaptopurine?

Common side effects can include nausea, loss of appetite, bone marrow suppression (leading to low blood counts), and increased risk of infection.

Is “mercaptopurine” formal?

Mercaptopurine is usually technical/scientific in register.

How do you pronounce “mercaptopurine”?

Mercaptopurine: in British English it is pronounced /mɜːˌkæptəʊˈpjʊəriːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɚˌkæptoʊˈpjʊrin/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

mercaptopurine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Very Low

UK/mɜːˌkæptəʊˈpjʊəriːn/US/mɚˌkæptoʊˈpjʊrin/

Technical/Scientific

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “mercaptopurine” mean?

A medication used to treat certain types of cancer, specifically acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A medication used to treat certain types of cancer, specifically acute lymphocytic leukemia.

An antimetabolite chemotherapeutic agent (thiopurine) that interferes with DNA and RNA synthesis in cancer cells. It is also used in immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences. The drug is known by the same International Nonproprietary Name (INN).

Connotations

Identical clinical and pharmacological connotations in both varieties.

Frequency

Equally rare and specialized outside medical contexts in both the UK and US.

Grammar

How to Use “mercaptopurine” in a Sentence

[Patient] is prescribed mercaptopurine for [condition][Dosage] of mercaptopurine is administered [route]Mercaptopurine is used to treat/manage [disease]

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

oral mercaptopurinemercaptopurine therapydose of mercaptopurinemercaptopurine treatmenttoxicity of mercaptopurine

medium

respond to mercaptopurineprescribe mercaptopurinetake mercaptopurinediscontinue mercaptopurine

weak

patient on mercaptopurinemercaptopurine levelseffect of mercaptopurine

Examples

Examples of “mercaptopurine” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

The mercaptopurine regimen was started yesterday.
We reviewed the mercaptopurine dosage guidelines.

American English

The mercaptopurine protocol has been updated.
We need a mercaptopurine level test.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Not used.

Academic

Used in medical and pharmacological research papers and textbooks.

Everyday

Virtually never used in general conversation.

Technical

Exclusively used in clinical medicine, oncology, pharmacy, and biomedical sciences.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “mercaptopurine”

Strong

Purinethol (brand name)

Neutral

6-MP6-mercaptopurine

Weak

thiopurine drugantimetabolite

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “mercaptopurine”

placebonon-chemotherapeutic agent

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “mercaptopurine”

Misspelling as 'mercaptapurine' or 'mercaptipurine'.
Mispronouncing 'purine' as /'pjʊəraɪn/ instead of /'pjʊəriːn/.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, it is a type of chemotherapy drug known as an antimetabolite.
: It is typically taken orally in tablet form.
: Yes, it is also used as an immunosuppressant for autoimmune conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.
: Common side effects can include nausea, loss of appetite, bone marrow suppression (leading to low blood counts), and increased risk of infection.
: A medication used to treat certain types of cancer, specifically acute lymphocytic leukemia.
: Mercaptopurine is usually technical/scientific in register.
: Mercaptopurine: in British English it is pronounced /mɜːˌkæptəʊˈpjʊəriːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɚˌkæptoʊˈpjʊrin/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: MERCy for the patient + CAPTured + PURINE (the target in cells). A drug showing mercy by capturing/countering purine in cancer cells.

Conceptual Metaphor

CELLULAR SABOTEUR / METABOLIC MIMIC (it mimics a natural cellular component to disrupt cancer cell function).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are often treated with a combination of drugs, including .

Multiple Choice

What is the primary clinical use of mercaptopurine?