Mesalamine
Mesalamine is an anti-inflammatory for ulcerative colitis, sold here as 400mg Asacol tablets and 400mg Pentasa capsules, and taken to settle flares and keep symptoms quiet.
What mesalamine treats
Ulcerative colitis causes swelling and sores in the lining of the large intestine and rectum, and mesalamine is one of the standard medicines for it. It is used to bring a flare under control and to hold that improvement once symptoms settle, so it is often taken for months rather than for a short course. Both products sold here contain the same ingredient at the same 400mg strength.
How it works in the bowel
A mesalamine tablet or capsule is built to travel past the stomach and release its contents further down, where the inflammation sits. There it reduces the local production of the substances that drive swelling, which keeps most of the effect in the gut lining rather than spreading around the body.
Asacol tablets and Pentasa capsules
Asacol is a 400mg tablet and Pentasa is a 400mg capsule. What separates them is the coating and the point at which it lets the medicine go, so the two follow different daily schedules. Swallow either one whole with a glass of water — splitting, crushing or chewing damages the coating that does the work. Aim for the same times each day; food is fine either way, and if a dose upsets your stomach take it with a meal. A Pentasa capsule that is hard to swallow can be opened and the contents stirred into a spoonful of applesauce or yoghurt, then eaten at once with no chewing. Drink plenty of water while you are on it. Both are stocked in digestive health.
Side effects worth knowing
Loose stools, headache, nausea, stomach pain and a stuffy nose are the common ones, and they often ease as the body gets used to the medicine. A few things are not worth waiting out: swelling of the face, lips or tongue needs urgent treatment, and a dry cough, breathlessness, unusual tiredness, chest pain or a racing, irregular heartbeat need attention quickly. Watch too for passing much less urine, swollen ankles and hands, blood in the urine, or yellowing of the eyes and skin with pale stools and pain on the right side of the belly. Diarrhoea that worsens with cramping, fever, rash and aching muscles can mean the medicine itself is the problem rather than a flare. Mesalamine can also make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so cover up and use sunscreen.
Interactions and storage
Among painkillers, ibuprofen, naproxen and their relatives can interact with mesalamine; so can azathioprine, mercaptopurine, antacids and iron supplements. Keep the tablets and capsules somewhere dry and out of the sun, at ordinary indoor temperatures.
Sources
- Mesalamine: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus
- Mesalamine: Uses & Side Effects - Cleveland Clinic — Cleveland Clinic
Where can I order Mesalamine for delivery in Hong Kong?
Mesalamine can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range includes generic Asacol in 400mg tablets and generic Pentasa in 400mg capsules. You can cancel an order within 24 hours if it has not been dispatched, and support is available 24/7 in English and Cantonese.
What is the price of Mesalamine?
Each of the two mesalamine products has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Mesalamine?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order mesalamine. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What is another name for mesalamine?
Asacol and Pentasa are brand names of mesalamine, which is also sold as Lialda, Mezavant, Octasa, Rowasa and Salofalk. Here, mesalamine can be bought online as generic Asacol and generic Pentasa. These are generics, not the original brand.
What is the difference between Asacol and Pentasa?
Both contain 400mg of mesalamine, so the ingredient and the strength are the same; Asacol is a tablet and Pentasa is a capsule. Their coatings release the medicine at different points along the gut, which is why the two follow different daily dosing schedules.
Can I open or crush a mesalamine tablet or capsule?
Swallow tablets and capsules whole — the coating is what carries the medicine down to the inflamed part of the bowel, and breaking it spoils that. Pentasa is the exception in one way: the capsule can be opened and its contents sprinkled on a spoonful of applesauce or yoghurt and swallowed without chewing.
Can I take ibuprofen with mesalamine?
Yes, they can interact. Ibuprofen, naproxen and other anti-inflammatory painkillers are the main ones to be careful with. Azathioprine and mercaptopurine, which are used in inflammatory bowel disease, can interact too, as can antacids and iron supplements.
Does mesalamine make your skin sensitive to the sun?
It can. Some people become more sensitive to sunlight while taking mesalamine, so cover up and use sunscreen when you are out, and skip sun lamps and tanning beds.
Is mesalamine a steroid?
No. Mesalamine is an aminosalicylate, an anti-inflammatory that works in the lining of the bowel; it is not a steroid. It is often continued for months to keep ulcerative colitis quiet rather than taken as a short course.