Aminosalicylic acid is an aminosalicylate drug used to induce remission in ulcerative colitis. An antitubercular agent often administered in association with isoniazid.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
There are two mechanisms responsible for aminosalicylic acid's bacteriostatic action against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Firstly, aminosalicylic acid inhibits folic acid synthesis (without potentiation with antifolic compounds). The binding of para-aminobenzoic acid to pteridine synthetase acts as the first step in folic acid synthesis. Aminosalicylic acid binds pteridine synthetase with greater affinity than para-aminobenzoic acid, effectively inhibiting the synthesis of folic acid. As bacteria are unable to use external sources of folic acid, cell growth and multiplication slows. Secondly, aminosalicylic acid may inhibit the synthesis of the cell wall component, mycobactin, thus reducing iron uptake by M. tuberculosis.
- Primary indication
- For the treatment of tuberculosisCurator reviewed · 1 structured indication
- Formula / weight
- C7H7NO3 · 153.1354 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1966 · United States, 1995
- Also known as
- 4-aminosalicylate · 4-aminosalicylic acid · p-aminosalicylic acid · para-amino salicylic acid · para-aminosalicylic acid
- Brand names
Resolves to
WUBBRNOQWQTFEX-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILESNC1=CC(O)=C(C=C1)C(O)=OWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Aminosalicylic acid, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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