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Mesalamine (also known as 5-aminosalicylic acid) is used to treat ulcerative colitis, a type of bowel disease. It does not cure ulcerative colitis, but it may decrease symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding caused by irritation/swelling of the colon/rectum. Mesalamine is an aminosalicylate anti-inflammatory drug. It is believed to work by blocking the production of certain natural chemicals that may cause pain and swelling.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually four times daily or as directed by your doctor. Swallow the capsules whole. Do not chew or crush the capsules. Doing so can interfere with release of the drug into the colon. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same times each day. Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

The effects of some drugs can change if you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time. This can increase your risk for serious side effects or may cause your medications not to work correctly. These drug interactions are possible, but do not always occur. Your doctor or pharmacist can often prevent or manage interactions by changing how you use your medications or by close monitoring. To help your doctor or pharmacist give you the best care, be sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) before starting treatment with this product. While using this product, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any other medicines you are using without your doctor's approval. Some of the products that may interact with this drug include: acetazolamide, "blood thinners" (such as heparin, warfarin), certain diabetes medications (sulfonylureas such as glipizide, tolbutamide; meglitinides such as nateglinide), methotrexate, probenecid. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use. Share this list with your doctor and pharmacist to lessen your risk for serious medication problems.

Do not share this medication with others. Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as kidney and liver function tests, sigmoidoscopy, complete blood count) should be performed regularly to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: ringing in the ears, hearing loss, extreme tiredness, seizures, fast/difficult breathing, bloody vomit.

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other medications that are broken down into mesalamine (such as sulfasalazine, olsalazine); or to other salicylates (such as aspirin); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney problems, liver problems, pancreas problems (pancreatitis), inflammation of the sac around the heart (pericarditis). This medicine may cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of alcohol, especially when combined with this medicine, may increase your risk for stomach bleeding. Check with your doctor or pharmacist for more information. This medication is similar to aspirin. Children and teenagers should not take aspirin or aspirin-related medications (such as salicylates) if they have chickenpox, flu, or any undiagnosed illness, or if they have just been given a live virus vaccine (such as varicella vaccine), without first consulting a doctor about Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious illness. Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially the effects on the kidneys and decreased blood cell counts. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor before breast-feeding.

Store at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Brief storage between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Diarrhea, headache, nausea, or vomiting may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Infrequently, this medication may make symptoms of your condition worse rather than better (acute intolerance syndrome or sensitivity reaction). Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of these unlikely but serious side effects: worsening stomach pain/cramping, worsening bloody diarrhea, fever, severe/prolonged headache. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: change in the amount of urine, vomit that contains blood or looks like coffee grounds, fast/pounding heartbeat, chest pain, trouble breathing, dark urine, persistent nausea/vomiting, severe stomach/abdominal pain (especially if spreading to the back), yellowing of the eyes/skin, unusual bleeding/bruising, signs of infection (such as fever, persistent sore throat). A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

This section contains uses of this drug that are not listed in the approved professional labeling for the drug but that may be prescribed by your health care professional. Use this drug for a condition that is listed in this section only if it has been so prescribed by your health care professional. This drug may also be used to treat Crohn's disease.