sfRowasa™ (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension 4g/60mL –Sulfite-Free
Formulation, is the first sulfite-free rectal suspension available for
Ulcerative colitis (UC). According to a study published in The
American Journal of Gastroenterology, products containing sulfites
may exacerbate natural sulfide levels in the colon and may increase
inflammation in UC patients. With its sulfite-free
preparation, sfRowasa™ offers a new treatment option for the treatment
of active, mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis
or proctitis.
“UC is a chronic, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affecting
approximately one half million people in the United States. This chronic
disorder is interspersed with episodes of acute worsening (flares) that
are characterized by rectal bleeding and abdominal pain”
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), sulfites are a
group of sulfur-based compounds that occur naturally or may be added to
food as an enhancer and preservative. Potassium
metabisulfite is a preservative currently used in all mesalamine rectal
suspension products, except for sfRowasa™. It is believed that potassium
metabisulfite converts to hydrogen sulfide and sulfuric acid when
introduced in the colon (due to presence of water, oxygen, and/or sulfur
reducing bacteria). According to an article published in The American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, hydrogen sulfide is toxic to
colonocyte (colonic mucosal), which is implicated in UC.