Sulphasalazine in arthritis--an old drug rediscovered.

Sulphasalazine (salicyl-azo-sulphapyridine) has been in clinical use for over 40 years. Although the drug was originally introduced for the treatment of 'rheumatic polyarthritis' and ulcerative colitis, it is only in the past 10 years that its value in rheumatology has been appreciated. Controlled studies indicate that the drug is an effective remittive agent in both rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. This is an area of great research interest since the drug is proving to be a useful tool for investigating the aeteology and pathogenesis of these diseases.