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We guarantee the lowest price on all of our prescription products. If you find your medications cheaper at any other recognized licensed mail order pharmacy, we will not only match their price, we will beat it by 25% of the difference. It is our 125% price match guarantee!
Example: If you find a product on Canada Drugs Direct for $50.00 and find the same product for $40.00 at another mail order pharmacy, we will provide you with a $12.50 discount, bringing your total to $37.50.
To get the discount please make sure to mention the price match to the customer service team when they call to collect payment for your order. Or call toll free at 1-888-904-8467 to place the order through the phone.
Terms & Conditions of Program
A generic drug is a copy of the brand-name drug with the same dosage, safety, strength, quality, consumption method, performance, and intended use. Before generics become available on the market, the generic company must prove it has the same active ingredients as the brand-name drug and works in the same way and in the same amount of time in the body.
The only differences between generics and their brand-name counterparts is that generics are less expensive and may look slightly different (eg. different shape or color), as trademarks laws prevent a generic from looking exactly like the brand-name drug.
Generics are less expensive because generic manufacturers don't have to invest large sums of money to develop a drug. When the brand-name patent expires, generic companies can manufacture a copy of the brand-name and sell it at a substantial discount.
Dipentum (olsalazine sodium) is an oral aminosalicylate indicated for the maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis (UC). It is a prodrug that consists of two 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) molecules linked by an azo bond. Upon reaching the colon, it is cleaved by bacterial azoreductases to release the active compound, mesalamine, which exerts a topical anti-inflammatory effect on colonic mucosa by inhibiting prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis. Dipentum is used in adult patients to prevent flare-ups and maintain mucosal healing in chronic UC.
Fact Table | |
Formula | C14H10N2O6 |
License | US FDA (1990); EMA |
Bioavailability | Poor (systemic); active in colon after bacterial cleavage |
Legal status | Prescription only |
Chemical Name | Olsalazine sodium |
Elimination half-life | 0.9 hours (olsalazine); 1–2 hours (5-ASA) |
Dosage (Strength) | 250 mg capsule; typical dose: 500 mg BID |
Pregnancy | Category C – caution advised |
Brands | Dipentum |
Protein binding | >99% (5-aminosalicylic acid) |
PubChem CID | 4636 |
MedlinePlus | a601089 |
ChEBI | CHEBI:76195 |
ATC code | A07EC03 |
DrugBank | DB00777 |
KEGG | D00464 |
Routes of administration | Oral |
The typical adult dose is:
500 mg twice daily, taken with food to minimize gastrointestinal side effects.
Swallow capsules whole; do not crush or chew. Clinical benefit may take several weeks. Dipentum is not indicated for the treatment of acute UC flares. Use should be guided by disease activity, tolerance, and patient history.
Each capsule contains:
Olsalazine sodium 250 mg
Inactive ingredients may include:
Magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, and capsule components (gelatin, titanium dioxide, colorants)
Dipentum is contraindicated in patients with:
Known hypersensitivity to salicylates, including aspirin or 5-ASA compounds
Severe renal impairment or advanced kidney disease
Hypersensitivity to any of the inactive components
Dipentum may cause or worsen renal impairment. Assess renal function prior to initiation and periodically during therapy. Use caution in patients with pre-existing kidney disease or dehydration. Cases of interstitial nephritis have been reported. Monitor liver enzymes in patients with hepatic impairment. Use with caution in patients with a history of sulfasalazine intolerance, as cross-sensitivity may occur. Dipentum is not recommended during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh potential risks.
Common and potential side effects include:
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain or cramping
Nausea
Headache
Rash or itching
Fatigue
Rare: interstitial nephritis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, myocarditis or pericarditis, blood dyscrasias