The development of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) therapy as a life long treatment for ulcerative colitis is reviewed from its origins in the 1940s to the present day. The drug was designed to treat rheumatoid arthriti...
Supported by research grants from Astrazeneca (Zoetermeer, The Netherlands), Ferring BV (Hoofddorp, The Netherlands), P and G Pharmaceuticals (Cincinnati, United States), ALTANA Pharma BV (Hoofddorp, The Netherlands), and Tramedico BV (Weesp, The Netherlands), Falk Company (Freiburg, Germany), and Ferring International (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Mesalazine is a safe drug, although adverse events may be seen in a minority of patients. This applies also to pregnant women and children. The role of mesalazine in combination therapy to improve efficacy and con- co...