Mesalamine: Price, Dosage & Where to Buy

Mesalamine is an aminosalicylate medicine used mainly for mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis. It helps induce remission and maintain remission in adults, and treats active ulcerative colitis in eligible children. Mesalamine is a prescription medicine in the United Kingdom, and generic versions have been available since 2004-09-17.

Mesalamine belongs to the aminosalicylate class. It acts mainly on the lining of the bowel, where it reduces inflammatory activity and the production of chemical signals that help sustain inflammation. This can lessen inflammation associated with ulcerative colitis and help the bowel lining recover.

Delayed-release tablets are designed to release mesalamine further along the digestive tract, helping deliver the medicine towards the colon. The exact way mesalamine produces its full clinical effect is not completely defined, but its local anti-inflammatory action is central to its use in ulcerative colitis.

Mesalamine is used for mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis, a condition that can cause inflammation in the bowel. In adults, it is used both to induce remission, meaning to help settle active disease, and to maintain remission after symptoms have improved. It is also indicated for treating mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis in paediatric patients weighing at least 24 kg who can swallow tablets whole.

The delayed-release tablet label does not establish safety and effectiveness for patients weighing less than 24 kg. The medicine is used as part of treatment directed by a clinician, with monitoring that may include kidney function checks.

The label lists oral capsule strengths of 250 mg and 500 mg, delayed-release capsules of 400 mg, extended-release capsules of 0.375 g, 250 mg, 375 mg, and 500 mg, delayed-release tablets of 1.2 g and 800 mg, and rectal products of 4 g/60 mL and 1000 mg. The usual starting dose is 2.4 g to 4.8 g once daily for induction of remission in adults. The usual starting dose is 2.4 g once daily for maintenance of remission in adults.

The label lists treatment for paediatric patients weighing at least 24 kg who can swallow tablets whole, with weight-based doses during Week 0 to Week 8 and after Week 8. The label lists swallowing delayed-release tablets whole, with food, and drinking an adequate amount of fluids. The label lists renal function assessment before treatment and periodically during treatment.

Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). Keep the tablets in a tight, light-resistant container and out of the reach of children.

The label states that the unit dose package is not child resistant and is intended for institutional use only. Store as directed on the label to maintain quality.

A missed dose means the scheduled dose was not taken at the intended time. General pharmacy advice is to follow the prescriber’s instructions and avoid taking extra medicine to compensate unless a healthcare professional specifically advises this.

If several doses are missed, or if ulcerative colitis symptoms worsen, a doctor or pharmacist should be contacted. Keeping to the prescribed schedule supports treatment intended to induce or maintain remission.

Published data have not reliably shown an association between mesalamine and major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Increased ulcerative colitis activity is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm delivery, low birth weight, and small-for-gestational-age infants.

During breastfeeding, mesalamine and its metabolite are present in human milk in small amounts, and diarrhoea has been reported in breastfed infants. A caregiver should monitor a breastfed infant for diarrhoea and discuss treatment with a doctor or pharmacist.