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How do mesalamines & basalazide work?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/14/2009 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
Though its been nearly 6 months since i have been on mesalamine but i dnt know how it works. What i understand is they heal the irritated part of colon but i also know that these are not treatment developed for UC...i.e not cure for UC OR are they? Is there any medicine which is developed only for UC.
thanks!
Posted 6/14/2009 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
None of them actually heal you of the disease, they are just used to reduce inflammation, so the reason you have to take them drugs forever. They are all break down to 5-ASA (mesalazine), but they use different forms to deliver it to your body. Balsalazide eventually turns into 5-ASA once the bacteria from your colon breaks it down.

I don't know if any were developed specifically for Colitis but as far as I know, all non steroid, non immune suppressant drugs used to treat UC are mesalazine based, and that includes Sulfasalazine.
Posted 6/14/2009 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
Mesalamines and basalazides do not contain sulfa while sulfasalazine does. Good thing too because I am highly allergic to sulfa! :)

These meds are designed, as Zippy said, to reduce the inflammation and to heal but cure? No, as of now there is no cure. They are not even sure what exactly causes it. And yes, these meds were specifically designed to heal the IBD'er.
Posted 6/15/2009 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Though successful surgical removal of the colon can be considered a cure... right?
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