Aminosalicylates are medications used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). These drugs contain 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), an ingredient that helps control inflammation in the body.

CD and UC are chronic conditions that cause inflammation and sometimes ulcerations in the colon and other parts of the digestive tract. Active phases of the diseases include bouts of diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping.

Research shows that many UC patients are not fully compliant with their medication regimen. However, when taken as prescribed, aminosalicylates are highly effective in treating the condition.

Although aminosalicylates are also used to treat CD, their role in treating this disorder is less clear. Though aminosalicylates can reduce mild to moderate gastrointestinal inflammation, they are less effective in treating severe outbreaks of inflammation.

Sulfasalazine was the first widely used aminosalicylate. It relies on a substance called sulfapyridine to carry the drug to the intestines, and sulfapyridine is closely associated with many side effects. Patients taking sulfasalazine may experience side effects such as fever, nausea, diarrhea, headache, rash, change in color of urine and skin to yellow-orange hue, reduced sperm count (in men) and, less commonly, pancreatitis, hepatitis, lung inflammation (pneumonitis), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (a skin reaction) and destruction of the red blood cells (hemolysis).  

Today, newer types of aminosalicylates have been developed that do not rely on sulfapyridine to act as a carrier. Up to 90 percent of patients who experience side effects related to sulfapyridine can safely take these newer aminosalicylates, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).