BALSALAZIDE

Balsalazide is a prodrug of mesalazine which has an inert carrier mole cule instead of the sulfapyridine moiety of sulfasalazine, Balsalazide 6.75 g/day was more effective than mesalazine 2.4 g/day in at least 1 trial and as effective as sulfasalazine 3 g/day for inducing remissio n in patients with acute ulcerative colitis in 8- and 12-week trials, Moreover, complete symptom relief occurred more promptly with balsalaz ide 6.75 g/day than with mesalazine 2.4 g/day. In long term studies, b alsalazide 2 g/day was as effective as sulfasalazine 2 g/day and balsa lazide 6 g/day was as effective as mesalazine 1.5 g/day, in maintainin g remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. The tolerability prof ile of balsalazide is significantly better than that of sulfasalazine; 70% of sulfasalazine-intolerant patients were able to tolerate balsal azide.