Azodisalicylate (azodisal sodium) causes intestinal secretion. Comparative study of the effect of azodisalicylate, sulfasalazine, 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfapyridine on the water and electrolyte transfer and the morphology of the rat ileum and colon in vivo.

Azodisalicylate (ADS) is one of the possible successors of sulfasalazine in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. The following results were obtained when comparing the influence of ADS on net water and electrolyte transfer in tied-off loops of the rat ileum and colon in vivo with sulfsalazine, 5-aminosalicylic acid, and sulfapyridine. (1) Sulfasalazine, 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfapyridine had no effect on water and electrolyte transfer of the healthy intestinal mucosa in concentrations up to 400 mg%. (2) ADS showed a concentration-dependent inhibition effect on net water, sodium and chloride absorption and stimulated secretion at concentrations higher than 100 mg%. (3) No morphological alterations of the mucosa could be observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. The observed effect of ADS might have some clinical significance in patients with a decreased absorptive capacity of the colon in ulcerative colitis, in contrast to healthy volunteers, where the high absorptive capacity of the colon might compensate the decreased absorption or stimulated secretion in the small intestine.