SULPHASALAZINE: A 'NEW' ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUG

Sulphasalazine was first introduced for the treatment of rheumatoidarthritis in 1942. Following initial enthusiasm, interest waneduntil 1978 when a large open study suggested that it might havea ‘second-line effect’. Since then further studieshave confirmed this effect and once again rheumatologists arestarting to use sulphasalazine in the treatment of rheumatoidarthritis. In this review we examine the pharmacology of sulphasalazineand its metabolites, comment upon the possible modes of actionand review the recent literature pertaining to its use in rheumatoidarthritis. KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Sulphasalazine