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Azulfidine and Asacol
Elaine
writes:
Just got through reading a recent article from GUT, 2001, Vol. 248, which
again reaffirms what has been obvious to me: that the older drug,
salphasalzine (Azulfidine) which was replaced when the patent ran out with
the supposedly better drug, Asacol, is less effective than the orginal drug.
Here is an excerpt:
During the period 1938-1954, the only drug available for treatment of UC was
sulphasalazine (SASP). Nanna Svartz used SASP, which is composed of a
sulphonamide-sulphapyridine and a salicylate-5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA).
Because of its anti-bacterial activity, it was postulated that the onset of
UC might have some linkage with bacteria.4 Though we know today that 5-ASA
is the active part of SASP,5 a recent meta-analysis showed a trend towards a
superior efficacy of the parent compound over 5-ASA derivates in the
prevention of UC relapses.
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