Mesalamine, or 5-aminosalicylic acid, is used to treat the two major types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Available under various brand names and as a generic, mesalamine is provided in tablets, capsules, enemas and suppositories. It appears to stop the production of inflammatory chemicals in the colon.
Ulcerative Colitis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mesalamine for treating mild to moderately severe ulcerative colitis.
Ulcerative Proctitis
Mesalamine suppositories are designed to treat ulcerative colitis that only involves the rectum, a condition called ulcerative proctitis. The enemas can be used for this condition as well.
Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis
Mesalamine enemas are also approved to treat ulcerative proctosigmoiditis, which affects the rectum and the very end of the colon, or sigmoid colon.
Distal Ulcerative Colitis
The enemas also can treat distal ulcerative colitis, which involves the rectum, sigmoid colon and the descending colon.
Crohn's Disease
Physicians also prescribe mesalamine to treat Crohn's disease, another type of IBD. This use is not approved by the FDA. Crohn's disease causes inflammation of the colon, but the patterns of inflammation are different than those of ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease also can cause inflammation in other parts of the gastrointestinal system.
Tags: Crohn disease, enemas also, involves rectum, sigmoid colon, treat ulcerative, ulcerative colitis, ulcerative colitis