Balsalazide Disodium

**Semantic type:** Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** The disodium salt form of balsalazide, an aminosalicylate and oral prodrug that is enzymatically cleaved in the colon to produce the anti-inflammatory agent mesalazine. Mesalazine acts locally on the mucosa of the colon where it diminishes inflammation by blocking the production of arachidonic acid metabolites, including leukotrienes, prostaglandins and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, and other inflammatory agents. Balsalazide disodium is used to treat chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

**Synonyms:** - BALSALAZIDE DISODIUM - Benzoic Acid, 5-((1E)-(4-(((2-Carboxyethyl)amino)carbonyl)phenyl)azo)-2-hydroxy-, Disodium Salt - Colazal