Delzicol Helps Active UC

The active ingredient of Delzicol is Mesalamine, also called 5-ASA, an anti-inflammatory medication prescribed to treat mildly or moderately active ulcerative colitis (UC) in those 5 years of age and older. There is no cure for this inflammatory disease that can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and weight loss, but Delzicol helps reduce the inflammation and calms your symptoms. Your doctor may also recommend adults take Delzicol for maintenance of remission to increase the chances that you will be able to enjoy an extended period of normalcy.

Reduce Inflammation and Enjoy Pain Relief While You Heal

The active ingredient in Delzicol is delayed release so the enteric coating allows the medication to pass through your stomach without being dissolved or inactivated by the gastric juices. Delzicol starts to work by the time it is in your colon where help is needed the most.

It is believed that Delzicol works by blocking the activity of certain enzymes called cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase so their production of prostaglandins is reduced. This results in less inflammation so your intestines have time to heal and you can benefit from the pain relief.

Conditions Treated by Delzicol

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is still a bit of a mystery as to its cause but research indicates it is likely a result of the abnormal activation of your immune system. This means that for reasons unknown, your immune system is falsely alerted to a threat to cause your body harm. In this case, it is your intestines that will come under attack as an immune response to a harmful invader.

Prostaglandins and other inflammatory chemicals are released and they cause the redness and swelling that produces most of your symptoms. Medications like Delzicol are able to minimize the inflammation and reduce the symptoms but you need to be patient as it can take from 3 to 21 days before you notice any results and 3 to 6 weeks for the drug to have maximum effect.

Before You Start Delzicol

Ask your doctor about any risks of taking Delzicol while you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breast feeding. To determine if Delzicol is safe for you to take, tell your doctor about other medical conditions or allergies you have and list any current non-prescription medications or Rx drugs you take or use, including herbal remedies and dietary or vitamin supplements.

Delzicol Precautions

Do not chew, crush, or split the pills as this will ruin the enteric coating and the contents could cause irritation to your stomach mucosa before it has reached your colon.

Delzicol capsules contain 400mg of Mesalamine. If you have a hard time swallowing the capsule you can open it up and there are 4 x 100mg enteric coated smaller pills inside that can be taken separately. This also makes it possible to administer smaller doses for a child.

Possible Side Effects of Delzicol

• Itching
• Headache
• Excess gas
• Constipation

Drugs Similar to Delzicol

• Lialda
• Colazal
• Canasa EC Tablets