Pentasa

Generic name: Mesalamine (oral)
Drug class: 5-aminosalicylates

Usage of Pentasa

Pentasa affects a substance in the body that causes inflammation, tissue damage, and diarrhea.

Pentasa is used to treat mild to moderate ulcerative colitis in adults. Ucerative colitis is associated with inflammation, ulcers and sores in the bowel causing bleeding, stomach pain, and diarrhoea.

Pentasa is also used off-label in the USA as a treatment for Crohn’s disease. Use of Pentasa to treat Crohn’s disease is officially approved in some other countries.

Pentasa side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Pentasa: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using Pentasa and call your doctor at once if you have:

severe stomach pain, stomach cramping, bloody diarrhea;

fever, headache, general ill feeling;

rash, itching, eye redness;

bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;

low white blood cell counts - fever, chills, mouth sores, skin sores, sore throat, cough, feeling light-headed, trouble breathing;

signs of a kidney stone - severe pain in your side and back, frequent need to urinate, foul-smelling urine, dark or cloudy urine;

kidney problems - increased or decreased urination, swelling, weight gain; or

liver problems - loss of appetite, upper stomach pain, tiredness, easy bruising or bleeding, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Low white blood cell counts may be more likely in older adults.

Common Pentasa side effects may include:

burping, constipation, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, gas;

dizziness;

cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat;

back pain;

headache;

rash; or

abnormal liver function tests.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Pentasa

You should not use Pentasa if you are allergic to mesalamine, aspirin, sulfasalazine, or salicylates (such as Disalcid, Doans Pills, Dolobid, Kaopectate, Nuprin Backache, Pepto-Bismol, Tricosal, Trilisate, and others).

To make sure Pentasa is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

a kidney stone or kidney disease;

liver disease;

a blockage in your stomach or intestines (such as pyloric stenosis); or

a skin condition such as eczema.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether mesalamine will harm an unborn baby. However, having untreated or uncontrolled ulcerative colitis during pregnancy may cause complications such as low birth weight or premature birth. The benefit of treating ulcerative colitis may outweigh any risks to the baby.

It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor if you notice diarrhea in the nursing baby.

Do not give this medicine to a child without medical advice.

Relate drugs

How to use Pentasa

Usual Adult Dose for Ulcerative Colitis -- Active:

250 and 500 mg extended-release capsules: 1 g orally 4 times a day Duration of therapy: Up to 8 weeks. Uses: Treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis and induction of remission of ulcerative colitis.

Warnings

Stop using Pentasa and call your doctor at once if you have severe stomach pain, stomach cramping, bloody diarrhea (may occur with fever, headache, and skin rash).

What other drugs will affect Pentasa

Mesalamine can harm your kidneys, especially if you also use certain medicines for infections, cancer, osteoporosis, organ transplant rejection, bowel disorders, high blood pressure, or pain or arthritis (including Advil, Motrin, and Aleve).

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

azathioprine or 6-Mercaptopurine.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with mesalamine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Disclaimer

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