mesalazine + nitazoxanide

This combination therapy consists of the anti-inflammatory agent mesalazine (also known as mesalamine) and the antiparasitic drug nitazoxanide. It is being investigated by the Research Institute of Epidemiology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Uzbekistan for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in patients co-infected with the intestinal protozoan *Blastocystis hominis*. Nitazoxanide functions by inhibiting the pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) enzyme-dependent electron transfer reaction, which is essential for anaerobic energy metabolism in parasites. Mesalazine acts locally in the colon to exert anti-inflammatory effects, likely through the inhibition of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, and the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma). Clinical study results suggest that the combination therapy improves mucosal healing in UC patients with *Blastocystis* infection compared to monotherapy with either drug alone.

Other names

mesalamine + nitazoxanide5-aminosalicylic acid + nitazoxanide