Side Effects:

Common Nausea, Headache, Skin rash, Loss of appetite, Increased body temperature.

Expert advice for Salazar Tablet DR
You have been prescribed Salazar to control the symptoms and slow down the progression of inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis. You may have to wait for 6 to 12 weeks to get the full effect. Drink plenty of water while on Salazar. This will prevent kidney stone and kidney damage. You may experience loss of appetite and nausea on starting Salazar. Your urine may change color (to orange). Do not worry if that happens. Avoid contact with people who have cold, flu or other contagious illness. Notify your doctor if you have any signs of infection such as a fever or sore throat. Inform your doctor if you ever had any form of drug allergy. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to conceive or breastfeeding. Inform your doctor if you are suffering from any blood disease e.g. G6PD deficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Salazar a DMARDs?
Yes, Salazar is a DMARDs (Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs). It prevents joint damage and preserves joint mobility.

Q. Can I use Salazar 1gram BD?
Yes, Salazar can be used as 1gm BD (twice daily) if you have severe disease.

Q. How is Salazar metabolized?
Salazar is metabolized in the colon by the bacterial enzyme azoreductase to sulfapyridine and 5 aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA).

Q. How long does Salazar take to produce the effect?
Salazar does not work right away. It will take about 6 to 12 weeks to get the full effect.

Q. Where is sulfasalazine absorbed?
Salazar is absorbed in the intestine (jejunum and colon). In the colon, it breaks down to sulfapyridine and 5 aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA).

Q. Can I use Salazar with hepatitis B?
Yes, Salazar is relatively safe in hepatitis B infection.

Q. Can I use Salazar in hepatitis C?
Salazar should not be used in hepatitis C patients with bad prognosis.

Q. Salazar for alopecia areata?
Salazar is not approved for treatment of alopecia areata.

Q. Salazar for gout?
Salazar is not approved for treatment of gout.

Q. Salazar for IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)?
Salazar is not approved for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Q. Salazar for IBD(inflammatory bowel disease)?
Yes, Salazar is used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Q. Salazar for psoriatic arthritis?
Salazar is a DMARD that may be effective for the joint pain and skin lesions associated with psoriatic arthritis.

Q. Salazar for psoriasis?
Salazar is not approved for psoriasis.

Q. Can I use Salazar with vitamin c?
Yes, Salazar can be used with vitamin c.

Q. Can I use Salazar with vitamin d?
Yes, Salazar can be used with vitamin d.

Q. Salazar vs mesalamine?
Mesalamine and Salazar are both used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Salazar having fewer side effects as compared to mesalamine.

Q. Salazar vs balsalazide?
Balsalazide has a better tolerability than Salazar in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Q. Salazar with folic acid?
Salazar inhibits the absorption and metabolism of folic acid.which may cause folic acid deficiency. This can result in serious blood disorders (e.g., macrocytosis and pancytopenia). This can be normalized by administration of folic acid or folinic acid (leucovorin).

Q. Salazar interaction with methotrexate?
Coadministration of Salazar and methotrexate do not alter the pharmacokinetic disposition of the drugs. It may increase the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events, especially nausea.

Q. Salazar with meloxicam?
Meloxicam and Salazar cause kidney problem if given together.

Q. Salazar with antibiotics?
People who are allergic to sulfa drugs antibiotics like cotrimoxazole, sulfisoxazole etc, may have a cross reaction to Salazar and should therefore not take it.

Q. Salazar with prednisone?
Salazar can be given in conjunction with steroids (prednisone) as part of an intensive management regime during the severe attack of rheumatoid arthritis.

Q. Salazar with adalimumab?
Adalimumab can be used with Salazar in the treatment of moderate to severe, active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients when the response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is inadequate.

Q. Salazar with the sulfa allergy?
Patients with sulfa drug allergy should avoid Salazar.

Q. Salazar with naproxen?
Salazar is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis who has failed to respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) e.g naproxen.

Q. Salazar with ibuprofen?
Salazar is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis who has failed to respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) e.g ibuprofen.

Q. Salazar with methotrexate side effects?
Taking Salazar and methotrexate together may increase the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events, especially nausea.

Q. Salazar with hydroxychloroquine?
Salazar and hydroxychloroquine combination have shown better and faster response in rheumatoid arthritis.

Q. Allergic to Salazar?
You should not take Salazar, if you are allergic to Salazar.

Q. Is Salazar a prodrug?
Yes, Salazar is a prodrug. It gets converted into sulfonamide (sulfapyridine) and 5 aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in the body.

Q. Is Salazar a sulfa drug?
Yes, Salazar is a sulfa drug because it contains sulfonamide (sulfapyridine) as active ingredients.

Q. Is Salazar an antibiotic?
Salazar is a combination of antibiotic sulfapyridine and 5 aminosalicylic acid, mainly used in inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Q. Is Salazar enteric coated?
Some formulation of Salazar may be available as enteric-coated. Enteric coating is done to prevent the tablet destruction by stomach acid.

Q. Salazar causes weight loss?
Yes, Salazar can cause loss of appetite which may lead to loss of weight.

Q. Can Salazar cause rash?
Yes, Salazar can cause the rash as a side effect.

Q. What is the Salazar drug class?
Salazar belongs to sulfonamide drug class.

Q. What is Salazar delayed-release tablets?
Salazar delayed release tablets are the enteric coated tablets, which prevent the disintegration of the drug when they come in contact with stomach acid.

Q. Salazar cause insomnia?
Yes, Salazar can cause insomnia as a side effect.

Q. Salazar flu-like symptoms?
Salazar can cause flu-like symptoms like aching of joints, fever, headache, sore throat, rashes.

Q. Salazar for ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease. Salazar releases 5 aminosalicylic acid which decreases inflammation of the intestines and thus helpful in ulcerative colitis.

Q. Salazar for Crohn's disease?
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. Salazar releases 5 aminosalicylic acid which decreases inflammation of the intestines and thus helpful in Crohn's disease.

Q. Salazar in cancer patients?
Salazar is not approved for treatment of cancer.

Q. Why does Salazar cause blood disorders?
Salazar inhibits the absorption and metabolism of folic acid. Which may cause folic acid deficiency. This can result in serious blood disorders (e.g., macrocytosis and pancytopenia).

Q. Why does Salazar cause a sore throat?
Salazar suppresses the immune system which can manifest with the sign of infections like a sore throat or fever.

Q. What does Salazar contain?
Salazar contains sulfonamide (sulfapyridine) and 5 aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) as active ingredients.

Q. Side effects of stopping sulfasalazine?
If Salazar is stopped, patient can experience withdrawal symptoms like depression, pain, stress, anxiety, back pain, and muscle spasticity.

Q. Salazar withdrawal?
Salazar withdrawal can cause depression, pain, stress, anxiety, back pain and muscle spasticity.