Adverse effects of Methotrexate

(conventional medicine used for Psoriasis and other diseases)

What is Methotrexate?

Methotrexate is a conventional medicine used for diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, Psoriasis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, etc. It is administered either oral or by injection.

Usually, it is supposed to be administered after failure with milder medicines.

What are the adverse effects of Methotrexate?
Methotrexate being a strong chemotherapeutic agent, produces a range of adverse effects in different patents. It may not produce all the side effects in all the users. Some of the adverse effects can be extremely severe and even life-threatening.

The adverse effects could be listed here:

Mouth: Inflamed gums, inflamed stomach, ulcers in mouth, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding from stomach and intestines, inflamed pancreas

Blood, bone-marrow and lymphatic system: Anemia, aplastic anemia, low white cells, low platelets cells

Heart and cardiovascular system: Inflammation of heart’s outer layer (Pericarditis), low blood pressure, thromboembolic such as arterial thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, and pulmonary embolus.

Brain and CNS: Vertigo, temporary blindness, Headaches, drowsiness, speech disorder, convulsions.

Infections: Use of Methotrexate may make one prone to certain infections such as  pneumonia, sepsis, nocardiosis; histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, Herpes zoster, Herpes  simplex, hepatitis, etc.

Eye related: Conjunctivitis, blurred vision

Lungs: Pulmonary fibrosis, lung failure, pneumonitis  

Skin: Erythematous skin rashes, itching, urticaria, photosensitivity, pigmentary changes, alopecia, ecchymosis, telangiectasia, acne, furunculosis, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, skin necrosis, skin ulceration, and exfoliative dermatitis.

Kidney: Kidney failure, inflamed bladder, bleeding from urinary tract, defective sperm formation

Hormonal: Menstrual dysfunction, vaginal discharge, enlargement of breast in males (gynecomastia), infertility, abortion, fetal defects, etc.

Others: Inflamed joints and veins, loss of libido (lack of sex desire), diabetes, osteoporosis, sudden death, lymphomas, soft tissue necrosis and osteonecrosis. Anaphylactic reactions, etc.

Adverse effects of Cyclophosphamide, Adverse effects of Cortisone, Adverse effects of Cyclosporine