CellCept vs. Plaquenil

CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) and Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) are used to treat sarcoidosis.

CellCept is primarily used to prevent the body from rejecting a kidney, liver, or heart transplant. CellCept is usually given with cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral) and a steroid medication.

Plaquenil is primarily used to treat or prevent malaria, a disease caused by parasites, which enter the body through the bite of a mosquito. Plaquenil is also used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus. Plaquenil and its sister drug chloroquine (Aralen) are under investigation to treat the COVID-19 coronavirus disease but their effectiveness is currently unproven.

CellCept and Plaquenil belong to different drug classes. CellCept is an immunosuppressive agent and Plaquenil is an antimalarial medication.

Side effects of CellCept and Plaquenil that are similar include nausea, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain/cramps/upset, and loss of appetite.

Side effects of CellCept that are different from Plaquenil include constipation, gas, tremor, trouble sleeping (insomnia), weakness, swelling in your hands or feet, numbness or tingly feeling, and anxiety.

Side effects of Plaquenil that are different from CellCept include weight loss, dizziness, spinning sensation (vertigo), ringing in your ears (tinnitus), mood changes, nervousness, irritability, skin rash, itching, and hair loss.

Both CellCept and Plaquenil may interact with antibiotics and antivirals.

CellCept may also interact with cholestyramine, and other medicines that weaken the immune system.

Plaquenil may also interact with acetaminophen, cancer medications, tuberculosis medications, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, arthritis medications, ACE inhibitors, antifungals, cholesterol medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and seizure medications.

Side effects of CellCept include:

CellCept may cause side effects, including:

• constipation,
• nausea,
• headache,
• diarrhea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain or upset,
• loss of appetite,
• gas,
• tremor,
• trouble sleeping (insomnia),
• weakness,
• swelling in your hands or feet,
• numbness or tingly feeling, or
• anxiety.

Tell your doctor if you experience unlikely but serious side effects of CellCept including:

• unusual tiredness,
• fast or irregular heartbeat,
• muscle weakness,
• easy bleeding or bruising,
• swelling of the feet or ankles,
• mental/mood changes,
• weakness on one side of the body, or
• unusual change in the amount of urine.

Common side effects of Plaquenil include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain or cramps,
• loss of appetite,
• weight loss,
• diarrhea,
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• headache,
• ringing in your ears,
• mood changes,
• nervousness,
• irritability,
• skin rash,
• itching, or
• hair loss.

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Plaquenil including:

• muscle weakness,
• twitching,
• uncontrolled movement,
• loss of balance or coordination,
• blurred vision,
• light sensitivity,
• seeing halos around lights,
• pale skin,
• easy bruising or
• bleeding,
• confusion,
• unusual thoughts or behavior, or
• seizures (convulsions).

CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) is an immunosuppressive agent used to prevent your body from rejecting a kidney, liver, or heart transplant. CellCept is usually given with cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral) and a steroid medication.

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) is an antimalarial medication used to treat or prevent malaria, a disease caused by parasites, which enter the body through the bite of a mosquito. Plaquenil is also used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus. Plaquenil is available in generic form.

CellCept may interact with cholestyramine, antibiotics, acyclovir, ganciclovir, valacyclovir, or other medicines that weaken the immune system. Tell your doctor all medications you use.

Plaquenil may interact with acetaminophen, cancer medications, tuberculosis medications, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, arthritis medications, ACE inhibitors, antibiotics, antifungals, cholesterol medications, HIV/AIDS medications, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), or seizure medications. Tell your doctor all medications you use.

The dose of CellCept depends on the type of transplant performed.

Adult doses of Azulfidine range from 1000 mg to 4000 mg daily, taken 2 to 4 times daily depending on the condition being treated. Pediatric doses are determined by weight.