According to the Mayo Clinic, ulcerative colitis is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation of the innermost lining of the large intestine. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. There is no cure for ulcerative colitis, but treatment with the anti-inflammatory drug sulfasalazine may be a good way to control the symptoms.
Function
Sulfasalazine is an oral medication that doctors prescribe for the treatment of the inflammation, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and abdominal pain associated with ulcerative colitis, explains MedlinePlus. The drug comes in tablet form that patients take four times a day at evenly spaced time intervals. The Drugs.com website reports that sulfasalazine should be taken with food to minimize the chances for stomach upset, and that patients on this drug should drink plenty of water to avoid kidney stones.
Considerations
Combining sulfasalazine with certain other drugs may lead to drug-drug interactions that can alter, enhance or inhibit the action of sulfasalazine or the drug with which it is combined. In particular, patients who take digoxin for heart failure, methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis or the B-vitamin folic acid should talk with their doctor before combining these drugs with sulfasalazine.
People with an intestinal or urinary obstruction should not take sulfasalazine, according to the Monthly Prescribing Reference website. Also, sulfasalazine is contraindicated in those who have porphyria, an inherited disorder that affects the skin or the nervous system. People with porphyria are deficient in one of the enzymes needed to make heme, a component of hemoglobin.
Warnings
MedlinePlus explains that sulfasalazine makes the skin very sensitive to sunlight, and therefore patients should avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight while taking this drug. If exposure to sunlight is unavoidable, patients should wear protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses and sunscreen.
Sulfasalazine may cause temporary infertility and a low sperm count in male patients.
According to the Monthly Prescribing Reference, other adverse reactions of sulfasalazine may include anorexia, headache, stomach upset, itching, hives, rash, fever, anemia or other blood abnormalites, urine or skin discoloration and liver toxicity.
Benefits
Sulfasalazine is not a cure for ulcerative colitis, but patients who adhere to a continuous treatment regimen can control symptoms and minimize the risk of recurring attacks, explains the Drugs.com website.
Sulfasalazine and Breastfeeding
Women who are nursing should be aware that sulfasalazine shows up in breast milk and may have an effect on the newborn baby. Nursing mothers who need treatment with sulfasalazine should consult their doctors about the whether they should refrain from breastfeeding while taking the drug.
