Pentasa
Generic Name: mesalamine
Brand Name: pentasa
Indications
Pentasa is indicated for the induction of remission and for the treatment of patients with mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis.
Dosage and Administration
Pentasa is available for oral administration as 250mg and 500mg capsules.
Normal Dosage:
The recommended dosage for the induction of remission and the symptomatic treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis is 1g (4 Pentasa 250 mg capsules or 2 Pentasa 500 mg capsules) 4 times a day for a total daily dosage of 4g. Treatment duration in controlled trials was up to 8 weeks.
Overdose: Overdose symptoms include ringing in your ears, dizziness, headache, confusion, drowsiness, sweating, hyperventilation, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Drug Description
Pentasa (mesalamine) for oral administration is a controlled-release formulation of mesalamine, an amino-salicylate anti-inflammatory agent for gastrointestinal use. Chemically, mesalamine is 5-amino-2-hydroxybenzoic acid. It has a molecular weight of 153.14.
The structural formula is:
Side Effects
The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Abdominal pain.
- Diarrhoea and vomiting.
- Nausea.
- Excess gas in the stomach and intestines (flatulence).
- Rectal itching or discomfort with the enema or suppositories.
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
- Allergic skin rashes.
- Worsening of colitis symptoms.
- Pain in the muscles or joints.
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
- Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).
- Kidney problems.
- Decreases in the normal numbers of blood cells in the blood.
Precautions
- Use caution when applying the suppositories or rectal suspension. These products may stain clothing, flooring, painted surfaces, vinyl, enamel, marble, granite, and other surfaces.
- This medication is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is unlikely to harm an unborn baby. Do not take without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
Drug Interactions
There may be an increased risk of side effects on the blood cells if mesalazine is used in combination with azathioprine or mercaptopurine.
