olsalazine (Dipentum)

Introduction

Tradename: Dipentum.

Indications

• mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (see mesalamine)
• 2nd line agent for patients who cannot tolerate sulfasalazine
• Crohn's disease

Dosage

• 500-1000 mg PO BID-TID for 3-6 weeks
• take with food
• maintenance 500 mg PO BID

Tabs: 250 mg.

Adverse effects

• common (> 10%)
  • diarrhea, cramps, abdominal pain
• less common (1-10%)
  • headache, fatigue, depression, nausea, dyspepsia, bloating, anorexia, rash, itching, arthralgia
• uncommon (< 1%)
  • blood dyscrasias, bloody diarrhea, fever, hepatitis
• other
  • flatulence
  • dizziness

• drug adverse effects of NSAIDs

Mechanism of action

• bioconverted in the colon to 2 molecules of mesalamine
• see mesalamine

More general terms

• 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA)

Additional terms

• mesalamine (Asacol, Rowasa, Pentasa, Pentasacaps, Lialda, Apriso, Canasa, Delzicol)

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=22419
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=22418