By virtue of its immunosuppressant effects, leflunomide has found use in organ transplantation and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Immunosuppressive; inhibits T and B cell proliferation. Activity is attributed mainly to its metabolite, a malononitrile derivative, which is believed to inhibit dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (in the de novo pyrimidine synthesis pathway) as well as several protein tyrosine kinases.