A review of the biological and pharmacological activities of mesalazine or 5-aminosalicylic acid(5-ASA): an anti-ulcer and anti-oxidant drug

Mesalazine, also known as 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), is a synthetic drug from the family of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. However, 5-ASA has also been used for various other diseases due to its pharmacological effects, but they are usually scattered across various publications, which may limit further research and clinical use of this drug. This review is a summary of published information on the biological and pharmacological effects of 5-ASA with the aim of identifying its anti-oxidant role and medicinal use. 5-ASA data have been collected from 1987 to February 2021 using major databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library, Springer, Google Scholar, etc. According to research, the pharmacological and biological effects of 5-ASA include treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, and anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anti-amyloid, gastric protection (gastroprotective), and antidiverticulosis properties. Numerous pharmacological studies have shown that 5-ASA is an anti-oxidant and anti-ulcer compound with high therapeutic potential that, if the appropriate dose is discovered, its chemical structure changes and its effectiveness is optimized, 5-ASA has been used experimentally for other diseases.

Automated summary

Mesalazine, also known as 5-aminosalicylic acid or 5-ASA, is a synthetic drug classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) primarily used for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Research has shown that apart from its role in treating inflammatory bowel disease, 5-ASA exhibits various pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, anti-amyloid, gastric protection, and anti-diverticulosis properties. These findings suggest that 5-ASA has high therapeutic potential and may be explored for potential use in treating other diseases.