benzalazine

Benzalazine (also known as salicylazobenzoic acid, SAB) is a 5-azo derivative of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) designed as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel disease, specifically ulcerative colitis. It was developed to potentially reduce the frequent side effects associated with the sulfapyridine moiety of sulfasalazine (SASP). Benzalazine acts as a prodrug, metabolically converting to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in the colon. The active metabolite, 5-ASA, exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis via cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, modulating cellular signaling pathways (including inhibition of kinases and nuclear transcription factors like NF-κB and AP-1), and acting as an antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Clinical studies have compared its efficacy to sulfasalazine in treating active ulcerative colitis.

Other names

salicylazobenzoic acidbenzaldazinedibenzylidenehydrazine1,4-diphenyl-2,3-diaza-1,3-butadienebenzaldehyde azinebenzylideneazinedibenzalhydrazineEusolex 6653Eusolex6653Eusolex-6653NSC 3269NSC3269NSC-3269Benzoic acid, 5-((4-carboxyphenyl)azo)-2-hydroxy-