Overview
DESCRIPTION Sulfasalazine Tablets contain sulfasalazine, 500 mg, for oral administration. Therapeutic Classification : Anti-inflammatory agent. Chemical Designation : 5-([p-(2-pyridylsulfamoyl)phenyl]azo) salicylic acid. Chemical Structure: Molecular Formula: C 18 H 14 N 4 O 5 S Inactive ingredients: Corn starch, magnesium stearate, pregelatinized starch, stearic acid. Chemical Structure:
Mechanism of Action
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Pharmacodynamics The mode of action of sulfasalazine (SSZ) or its metabolites, 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and sulfapyridine (SP), may be related to the anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulatory properties that have been observed in animal and in vitro models, to its affinity for connective tissue, and/or to the relatively high concentration it reaches in serous fluids, the liver and intestinal walls, as demonstrated in autoradiographic studies in animals. In ulcerative colitis, clinical studies utilizing rectal administration of SSZ, SP, and 5-ASA have indicated that the major therapeutic action may reside in the 5-ASA moiety.
Indications
- INDICATIONS AND USAGE Sulfasalazine Tablets are indicated: a) in the treatment of mild to moderate ulcerative colitis, and as adjunctive therapy in severe ulcerative colitis; and b) for the prolongation of the remission period between acute attacks of ulcerative colitis.
Common Doses
- 4 g
- 2 g
- 60 mg
- 30 mg
Dosage
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The dosage of Sulfasalazine Tablets should be adjusted to each individual’s response and tolerance. Initial Therapy: Adults: 3 to 4 g daily in evenly divided doses with dosage intervals not exceeding eight hours. In some cases, it is advisable to initiate therapy with a smaller dosage, e.g., 1 to 2 g daily, to reduce possible gastrointestinal intolerance. If daily doses exceeding 4 g are required to achieve desired effects, the increased risk of toxicity should be kept in mind.
Contraindications
- CONTRAINDICATIONS Sulfasalazine Tablets are contraindicated in: Patients with intestinal or urinary obstruction, Patients with porphyria as sulfonamides have been reported to precipitate an acute attack, Patients hypersensitive to sulfasalazine, its metabolites, sulfonamides, or salicylates.
Side Effects
- ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions associated with sulfasalazine are anorexia, headache, nausea, vomiting, gastric distress, and apparently reversible oligospermia. These occur in about one-third of the patients. Less frequent adverse reactions are skin rash, pruritus, urticaria, fever, Heinz body anemia, hemolytic anemia, and cyanosis, which may occur at a frequency of one in every thirty patients or less. Experience suggests that with a daily dosage of 4 g or more, or total serum sulfapyridine levels above 50 μg/mL, the incidence of adverse reactions tends to increase.
Interactions
- No major interactions listed on the FDA label. Always consult a healthcare professional.