HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

does colozal go sraight to the colon or is it absorbed in the bloodstream?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/14/2011 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
I have just been reading that brand name colozal has been discontinued. But what I want to know is how the balsalazide disodium works. I know it is considered safe for pregnancy but am wondering if it is like Asocol and doesn't break open till it gets to the colon or is it absorbed into the blood stream and works that way? Thanks for your replies
Posted 12/14/2011 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
All of the mesalamine meds treat the colon directly with little uptake into the bloodstream from my understanding. Pentasa, which releases early in the digestive tract, is somewhat different and can cause purple urine (fun!) and tinnitus. I'm not aware of the other mesalamines have systemic effects like that.
Posted 12/14/2011 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
It is a azo bonded designer drug(balasalzide disodium) that in broken down by biological action in the colon into meslamine(5asa the same thing in asacol) and a fairly inert substance. Neither is works by being absorbed in the blood. Some small amount does get into the blood. True of asacol also.


Colazal tests slightly better on left side disease and safety. Might not be a significant difference. One nice thing about colazal is that it is not in a plastic coating containing phthalates. Asacol is. There are definitely issues with phthalate exposure in children and I would assume fetuses. It has been found to to be a endrocrine disruptor. It is the plastic in the banned infant formula bottles.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate
Posted 12/15/2011 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
Asacol is supposed to start dissolving in the terminal ileum, but recent studies show that this may not happen if the pH level of ileum stays below 7. Colazal is designed to be cleaved by bacteria within the colon, which supposedly makes it more helpful in treating left-sided UC. Neither of these meds gets absorbed into the bloodstream 1st; they are made with coating or capsule shells that resist breakdown & metabolizing in the upper G/I tract. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 12/17/2011 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone! Good to know :)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply