5-ASA colonic mucosal concentrations resulting from different pharmaceutical formulations in ulcerative colitis

AIM:To compare the mucosal concentrations of 5-aminosalicylic acid(5-ASA)resulting from different pharmaceutical formulations and analyse the influence of inflammation on the mucosal concentrations.METHODS:The study included 130 inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)patients receiving 5-ASA as pH-dependent-release formulations(73 patients),time-dependent-release formulations(11 patients),or pro-drugs(18patients).In addition,28 patients were receiving topical treatment(2-4 g/d)with pH-dependent-release formulations.Endoscopic biopsies were obtained from the sigmoid region during the colonoscopy.The 5-ASA concentrations(ng/mg)were measured in tissue homogenatesusing high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.The t test and Mann-Whitney test,when appropriate,were used for statistical analysis.RESULTS:Patients receiving pH-dependent-release formulations showed significantly higher mucosal concentrations of 5-ASA(51.75±5.72 ng/mg)compared with patients receiving pro-drugs(33.35±5.78 ng/mg,P=0.01)or time-dependent-release formulations(38.24±5.53 ng/mg,P=0.04).Patients with endoscopic remission had significantly higher mucosal concentrations of5-ASA than patients with active disease(60.14±7.95ng/mg vs 35.66±5.68 ng/mg,P=0.02).Similar results were obtained when we compared patients with the histological appearance of remission and patients with active histological inflammation(67.53±9.22 ng/mg vs 35.53±5.63 ng/mg,P<0.001).Significantly higher mucosal concentrations of 5-ASA were detected in patients treated with both oral and topical treatments in combination compared with patients who received oral treatment with pH-dependent-release formulations alone(72.33±11.23 ng/mg vs 51.75±5.72 ng/mg,P=0.03).CONCLUSION:IBD patients showed significant variability in mucosal 5-ASA concentrations depending on the type of formulation,and the highest mean concentration was achieved using pH-dependent-release formulations.