Uses of Dipentum (Olsalazine Sodium):

Olsalazine sodium is a drug that is for anti-inflammatory that is used to treat patients with ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative Colitis is a inflammatory bowel disease, it is much like Crohns. Dipentum is the pharmaceutical name for Olsalazine sodium. The main reason for prescribing this drug is for people that can not use Azulfidine (sulfalazine). Olsalazine sodium breaks up when in enters the colon, then acts as an anti-inflammatory compound (mesalamine). Mesalamine is only helpful as an anti-inflammatory compound in the colon for ulcerative colitis. 10% to 30% of the mesalamine enters the blood while the other 90% to 70% stays in the colon and acts against the colitis.

Dipentum is a very effective drug for patients that for one reason or another can't use other drugs prescribed for colitis. There are some problems with it for people that have Kidney problems, Dipentum could just cause further damage. Dipentum is not a drug to take when you are allergic to salicylates (aspirin). Dipentum is a good drug to take for most people however.