Introduction – What is Mesalazine?
Mesalazine (trade name Salofalk®) is an active ingredient from the group of so-called aminosalicylates. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and is used to treat chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Mesalazine is the gold standard, particularly in ulcerative colitis, but it is also used in Crohn’s disease. Mesalazine is used in acute attacks as well as in prophylaxis and inhibits inflammation and its accompanying complaints such as pain and diarrhea.
Indications for Mesalazine
Mesalazine is an agent for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. These include ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon. Mesalazine is used in acute attacks, the phase of severe inflammation with symptoms such as severe, sometimes bloody diarrhea.
In addition, mesalazine is also used in relapse prophylaxis. The use of mesalazine also leads to a reduction in the risk of colon cancer, which is generally increased in those affected. Mesalazine is also used in the acute phase of Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammation that can affect the entire intestinal tract.
Numerous people, especially in old age, are affected by so-called diverticulosis. These are bulges of the intestinal wall. These diverticula become diseased when excrement stones cause necrosis and inflammation of the mucous membrane.
This is called diverticulitis. In most cases, diverticulitis is treated in hospital with antibiotics and a zero diet at the beginning, and depending on the course of the disease, surgery may also be considered. In mild forms of diverticulitis, recent studies have shown that antibiotics may not be necessary at first.
In addition to mesalazine, spasmolytics and painkillers can be used. Mesalazine apparently also reduces the relapse rate in diverticulitis. Nevertheless, the use of mesalazine in diverticulitis has not yet been sufficiently investigated and is not included in the medical guidelines.
Active ingredient, effect of mesalazine
Mesalazine is also called 5-aminosalicylic acid or 5-ASA, as it is an amine derivative of salicylic acid. The acetylsalicylic acid known as Aspirin is also a derivative of salicylic acid. The chemical substance, which was formerly extracted from the juice of the spike stalk and is now artificially produced, has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces fever and has an analgesic effect.
That is why mesalazine is used for inflammations such as chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases. Specifically, the active ingredient inhibits the formation of inflammatory mediators and the activity of cells involved in the inflammatory reaction of the immune system. The tablets are resistant to gastric juice and only develop their effect in the intestine.
This is where the inflammations in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis take place, making mesalazine highly effective. How long a relapse lasts and how long the patient has to be treated in an acute relapse depends on the severity of the disease. Mesalazine is usually prescribed as suppositories or tablets for mild acute attacks.
If there is no improvement after several weeks, corticosteroids are also used. In severe attacks, mesalazine and corticosteroid tablets are used simultaneously (simultaneously). Treatment should last at least four weeks. Even after the relapse, therapy with mesalazine should be continued at a reduced dose to prevent a relapse.
