The active ingredient of metoject^® is methotrexate (MTX). Methotrexate is a very well-known so-called disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) meaning that it does not just relieve the pain of patients with joint inflammation and/or psoriasis, but actually helps to stop and prevent this inflammation and the resulting damage. In these autoimmune diseases the immune system is too active and mistakenly attacks the own body. Methotrexate can help to slow down the effects of an over-stimulated immune system and thus to control disease activity.

The patient information leaflet is first quite frightening as m ethotrexate belongs to the drug class of cytostatic agents. However, this does not mean that you have cancer or something similar to cancer. Methotrexate is used in cancer therapy in very much higher doses than in the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. S ide effects are of course possible also with low-dose methotrexate, but they occur less often and are less severe than in the treatment with higher doses. Furthermore, there are several possibilities to reduce these discomforts. Therefore, should you have any side effect while taking the drug, please inform your doctor.