Pharmacology of olsalazine.

Article Details

Citation

Copy to clipboard

Campbell DE, Berglindh T

Pharmacology of olsalazine.

Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl. 1988;148:7-12. doi: 10.3109/00365528809101539.

PubMed ID

3067340 [ View in PubMed

]

Abstract

In the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease the main anti-inflammatory component of sulphasalazine is 5-ASA. Based on the same azo-splitting principle in the colon as sulphasalazine, the new drug olsalazine was developed. Olsalazine consists of two 5-ASA molecules joined by an azo bridge. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that on oral administration there is little systemic absorption of olsalazine. Almost the whole dose passes into the colon, where the olsalazine is completely split into 5-ASA and subsequently excreted in faeces and urine. It can be concluded that from all toxicological and pharmacological aspects, olsalazine is a safe drug. Olsalazine will present the colonic mucosa with twice the amount of 5-ASA/unit compared with sulphasalazine (the present drug of choice) without concomitant delivery of sulphapyridine, which is believed to carry most of the drug's side-effects. Thus, olsalazine seems to be a suitable drug for long-term treatment of ulcerative colitis in man.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drugs

Olsalazine

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Olsalazine	Xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Inhibitor	Details