4-Aminosalicylic acid

Molecular mass: 153.135 g/mol  PubChem compound: 4649

Interactions

4-Aminosalicylic acid interacts in the following cases:

Hepatic impairment

Para-aminosalicylic acid should be used with caution in patients with hepatic impairment.

Hepatic toxicity

Para-aminosalicylic acid may cause hepatitis. The first symptoms usually appear within three months of the start of therapy with a rash as the most common adverse reaction followed by fever and much less frequently by gastrointestinal disturbances of anorexia, nausea or diarrhoea. Treatment should be stopped immediately in this case.

Peptic ulcer

Para-aminosalicylic acid should be used with caution in patients with peptic ulcer.

Mild to moderate renal impairment

Given that the metabolites of para-aminosalicylic acid are largely excreted via glomerular filtration, caution is warranted in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment.

Digoxin

Para-aminosalicylic acid may decrease the gastrointestinal absorption of digoxin, by inhibiting the absorption function of intestinal cells. Serum digoxin levels should be monitored in patients on concomitant therapy.

Ethionamide

Co-administration of para- aminosalicylic acid and ethionamide may intensify adverse reactions of para-aminosalicylic acid, mainly the gastrointestinal effects, including jaundice, hepatitis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or anorexia. Ethionamide should be withdrawn if these effects are significant.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 absorption may be reduced by para-aminosalicylic acid with clinically significant erythrocyte abnormalities developing after depletion; patients on therapy of more than one month should be considered for maintenance of vitamin B12.

HIV patients

Para-aminosalicylic acid may be associated with an increased risk of hypothyroidism in HIV coinfected patients. Thyroid function should be monitored in HIV co-infected patients before commencing treatment and regularly during treatment, in particular when para-aminosalicylic acid is co-administered with ethionamide/prothionamide.

Pregnancy

There are no or limited amount of data from the use of aminosalicylic acid in pregnant women.

Studies in animals have shown some reproductive toxicity.

Aminosalicylic acid is not recommended during pregnancy and in women of childbearing potential not using contraception.

Literature reports on aminosalicylic acid in pregnant women always report co-administration of other medicinal products. As there are no adequate and well controlled studies of aminosalicylic acid in humans, aminosalicylic acid should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.

Nursing mothers

Para-aminosalicylic acid is excreted in human milk. There is insufficient information on the effects of aminosalicylic acid in newborns/infants.

Aminosalicylic acid should not be used during breast-feeding.

Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis and fertility

Fertility

There is no evidence available on the effect of aminosalicylic acid on fertility.

Effects on ability to drive and use machines

Aminosalicylic acid has negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines.

Adverse reactions


Summary of the safety profile

Most frequent adverse reactions were related to the gastrointestinal system. Cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions were also frequent as well as adverse reactions related to the nervous system.

Tabulated list of adverse reactions

In the table below all adverse reactions are listed by system organ class and by frequency. Frequency is defined as very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to <1/10), uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be estimated from the availabledata). Within each frequency grouping, adverse reactions are presented in order of decreasingseriousness

Blood and lymphatic system disorders

Very rare: Thrombocytopenia, purpura, leukopenia, anemia, methemoglobinemia, agranulocytosis.

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Rare: Hypothyroidism*.

Very rare: Hypoglycemia.

Nervous system disorders

Very rare: Tendon pain, headache, visual abnormalities, peripheral neuropathy, dizziness.

Common: Giddiness, vestibular syndrome.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Common: abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, soft stools.

Uncommon: Anorexia.

Rare: Malabsorption syndrome*, peptic ulcer, gastrointestinal bleeding, jaundice, metallic taste.

Hepatobiliary disorders Unknown Hepatitis

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Common: Cutaneous hypersensitivity, skin rash.

Rare: Urticaria.

Renal and urinary disorders Very rare Crystalluria.

Investigations

Very rare: Decreased prothrombine level, hepatocytolysis. Increased blood alkaline phosphatase, transaminases, weight loss.

* see Description of selected adverse reactions below

Description of selected adverse reactions

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism in HIV co-infected patients is a very common event and occurs in ≥1/10 subjects, particularly when para-aminosalicylic acid is administered with ethionamide/prothionamide.

Malabsorption syndrome

A malabsorption syndrome can develop in patients on para-aminosalicylic acid, but is usually not complete. The complete syndrome includes steatorrhoea, an abnormal small bowel pattern on x-ray, villus atrophy, depressed cholesterol, reduced D-xylose and iron absorption. Triglyceride absorption is always normal.

Paediatric population

Frequency, type and severity of adverse reactions in children are expected to be the same as in adults.

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Review your medication to ensure that there are no potentially harmful drug interactions or contraindications.

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