Drug interactions
Mesalamine + Salsalate
Severity: Moderate
Mesalamine and Salsalate: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Salsalate is hydrolysed to salicylic acid, which can affect renal function, and mesalamine can rarely cause interstitial nephritis. Concurrent use may increase kidney injury risk.
What this interaction means in plain words
Mesalamine and Salsalate can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive nephrotoxicity from salicylate effects on renal prostaglandins plus mesalamine tubulointerstitial toxicity.
What to do
Monitor serum creatinine and urinalysis at baseline and periodically. Stop salsalate if renal function worsens.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Mesalamine and Salsalate, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Mesalamine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Mesalamine with Salsalate?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Mesalamine and Salsalate can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Salsalate is hydrolysed to salicylic acid, which can affect renal function, and mesalamine can rarely cause interstitial nephritis. Concurrent use may increase kidney injury risk.
How serious is the interaction between Mesalamine and Salsalate?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor serum creatinine and urinalysis at baseline and periodically. Stop salsalate if renal function worsens.
What other medicines interact with Mesalamine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Mesalamine with, for example, Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live, Varicella virus vaccine live, Aceclofenac. The full list is on the Mesalamine page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
