Leflunomide: Traditional immunosuppressant with concurrent antiviral effects.

Leflunomide is a classic disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drug that is widely used to treat autoimmune diseases. Studies also show its antiviral effects in in vitro and/or in vivo experiments. Considering glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and newly emerged antibodies commonly used in autoimmune diseases and autoinflammatory disorders bring risk of infection such as viral infection, leflunomide with combination of anti‐viral and immunosuppressive features to maintain the balance between infection and anti‐inflammation are attractive. Here we summarize the actions and mechanisms of leflunomide in immunoregulatory and antiviral effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]