Is tacrolimus and Prograf the same?

Asked by: Isac Dooley  |  Last update: December 8, 2025
Score: 5/5 (30 votes)

Tacrolimus oral capsules are drugs approved by FDA for prevention of organ rejection in adult and pediatric patients who received certain types of organ transplants. Prograf is the brand name for tacrolimus oral capsules.

Is tacrolimus generic for Prograf?

Tacrolimus (Prograf) is a medication used to prevent organ rejection after an organ transplant. The immediate-release (IR) capsules are available as a lower-cost generic medication, whereas the IR granules (Prograf) and extended-release (ER) capsules (Astagraf XL) are only available as brand-name medications.

What is the problem with tacrolimus?

This medicine may cause serious brain or nerve problems (eg, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome). Tell your doctor right away if you have blurred vision, confusion, dizziness, headache, mental changes, seizures, high blood pressure, unusual drowsiness, tiredness, or weakness, or a fast heartbeat.

What is the real name for tacrolimus?

Tacrolimus capsules stop your body from attacking or rejecting a transplanted organ, like a heart, kidney, liver or lung. The brand names of this medication are Prograf® and Hecoria®.

What is another name for Prograf level?

If you take a medication called tacrolimus (Prograf) to treat your kidney disease, your kidney care team may ask you to have blood work done at a lab to check your blood levels. This lab test is sometimes called “tacrolimus (Prograf ) blood level monitoring” or a “tacrolimus (Prograf ) level”.

Transplant Medicines - Tacrolimus (Prograf®)

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What is the substitute for Prograf?

Nulojix® is an injectable medication that works in a different way than any other anti-rejection medicines available. It was designed as a potential replacement medication for Prograf® (tacrolimus) or Neoral® (Gengraf®, cyclosporine).

What foods should you avoid while taking Prograf?

Do not eat grapefruits, grapefruit juice or any soda (Fresca) or fruit juice blend that contains grapefruit juice. Grapefruit can increase your levels of tacrolimus to a potentially toxic level. Does tacrolimus interact with other drugs?

What medications cannot be taken with tacrolimus?

Strong interactions have been observed with antifungal agents such as ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole, the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin or HIV protease inhibitors (e.g. ritonavir). Concomitant use of these substances may require decreased tacrolimus doses in nearly all patients.

Why is tacrolimus so good?

Calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus act on the T cells to dampen the immune system, reducing inflammation and itching. Scientists developed the ointment to treat atopic eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. It has two strengths: the stronger 0.1% formulation and the weaker 0.03% formulation.

What is the most common side effect of tacrolimus?

Common tacrolimus side effects include headache, upset stomach, and shakiness. Rare but serious side effects include a higher risk of infection (e.g., fever, chills, or cold-like symptoms) and kidney injury (e.g., difficulty urinating or sudden leg swelling).

What cancers does tacrolimus cause?

A small number of patients who used tacrolimus ointment or another similar medication developed skin cancer or lymphoma (cancer in a part of the immune system).

How long can you be on tacrolimus?

Long-term treatment up to 24 months with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment is safe and efficacious in adults with atopic dermatitis. Key words: atopic dermatitis; long-term treatment; tacrolimus ointment.

How much is Prograf without insurance?

How much does Prograf cost without insurance? Without the necessary insurance coverage, you may end up paying as much as $552.06 for 60, 1MG Capsule of Prograf. To save on this cost, use a SingleCare Prograf coupon and pay only $24.17 for 60, 1mg Capsule of generic Prograf.

Is tacrolimus an expensive drug?

Brand names for tacrolimus include Prograf. The cost for tacrolimus 0.5 mg oral capsule is around $71 for a supply of 100 capsules, depending on the pharmacy you visit.

Which company tacrolimus is best?

Top 10 Tacrolimus Cream Brands in India
  • Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited-
  • Contiderma-
  • Healing Pharma India Pvt Ltd- Connote Healthcare- Lexine Technochem Private Limited- Astonea Labs Limited- Concord Biotech Limited- Biocon- Prevego Healthcare & Research Private Limited- Torrent Pharma- Conclusion-

Does tacrolimus cause blood clots?

Tacrolimus can lead to a serious problem with blood clotting. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms. Infections. Tacrolimus can increase your risk of infections, including serious infections that can lead to death.

Does tacrolimus make you gain weight?

The patients were divided into cyclosporine A (CyA) and tacrolimus (Tac) groups and were evaluated for weight changes and risk factors related to weight gain. Results: The weights of patients in both groups significantly increased after the sixth month.

What does tacrolimus do to skin?

Tacrolimus ointment is not a topical steroid. It is an ointment that reduces the inflammation in affected skin and works in a completely different way to other treatments such as topical steroids. Topical tacrolimus can be used on Adults and Children (over 2 years) for the treatment of atopic eczema.

What happens if you go in the sun with tacrolimus?

This medicine may increase your risk of getting skin tumors, especially when exposed to sunlight. When you begin using this medicine: Stay out of direct sunlight, especially between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., if possible. Stay out of the sun even when the medicine is not on your skin.

Can you take predniSONE and tacrolimus together?

Using tacrolimus together with predniSONE may increase the blood levels and effects of one or both medications. Contact your doctor if your condition changes or you experience increased side effects. You may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications.

Does coffee affect tacrolimus?

No interactions were found between caffeine and tacrolimus. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

What fruits should transplant patients avoid?

Most foods and drinks are completely safe for you to take after transplant. Please AVOID grapefruit, pomegranate, pomelo, blood orange, and black licorice, as these can increase the amount of anti- rejection medication in your body and this could harm you.

What can be used instead of Prograf?

  • Mycophenolate mofetil.
  • Cyclosporine.
  • Rapamune.
  • Imuran.
  • Sirolimus.
  • Azathioprine.