యెల్లప్రగడ సుబ్బారావు was born 1895 in India. This Indian biochemist has made extremely important contributions to medical science, which includes the discovery of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) functionality in a cell, and the synthesis of Methotrexate. Yellapragada Subbarao, grew up in Telugu Niyogi which is located on the eastern portion of India. He had troubles in his early education due to a fairly heavy personal situation. Subbarao earned his diploma from Harvard Medical School, which is where he made an important finding.
Mexthotrexate (MTX) was previously called amethopterin. MTX is a drug that has a few functionalities. One function is the inhibition of metabolite, which is a naturally occurring molecule in an ordinary metabolism. MTX also disrupts the actions of folic acids (vitamins: B9, Bc, or folacin). Folins are found in the body naturally and “are forms of water-soluble vitamin B9” –Wikipedia. Between impeding on the functions of metabolite and folic acid, Methotrexate is known as an antifolate / antimetabolite drug.
MTX is administered in a few ways. It is given as an oral medication that is only taken weekly, or it is delivered by injection. In either delivery method close frequent monitoring of the creatinine levels must be made as well as liver function tests and complete blood count. Though this drug is used primarily to treat autoimmune diseases (lupus, Chrones, rheumatoid/psoriatic arthritis…), MTX is quite commonly the drug of choice to terminate pregnancies in the early stages.
Initital purpose for MTX was treat cancer (chemotherapy) wither by itself or with other drugs. In large doeses this drug was found to work in chemotherapy in low does the drug could help treat some other autoimmune diseases like those listed above. Even in low doses there are minor side effects. From hair lose, to nausea, to skin pigmentation and headaches; studies show that paitents who take MTX over year had less pain and did generally better with few swollen/tender joints and a less active disease. Not everyone response to MTX.
Just to name a few more adversities to the drug: ulcrative stomatits, which is the inflammtion of mucous lining in the mouth. Low white blood cell count is another side affect, which can make one more subseptible to infection, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, fever, dizziness, and acute pneumonitis. On occuation pulmonary fibrosis may take place. As mentioned above MTX is used to abort fetuses in early pregnancy so it is no wonder that it is listed under “pregnancy category X” by the FDA. This just means that women who are pregnant should not take MTX. Finally, there are interactions, which can make MTX problematic in the increase of toxicity risk. Peniccillins may decrease the elimination of methotrexate”–Wikipedia.
Primary Source: http://www.wikipedia.com