Aminosalicylate drugs compared

Compare all 10 Aminosalicylate drugs side by side, used for conditions such as colitis, ulcerative, proctitis, sigmoid diseases. They share one FDA-defined mechanism but differ in approved uses, prescription status, brand-vs-generic options, price, and FDA recall-safety record — which our independent rating scores. The highest-rated is colazal.

4 of 10 drugs in this class carry a pharmaranks safety score, ranging 60–74 out of 100 — computed from FDA recall records, not from reviews.

Rated against independent sources·Last updated June 7, 2026·How we rate

Top-rated aminosalicylate: 1. Colazal · 2. Canasa · 3. Mesalamine

Aminosalicylate drugs compared side by side, with pharmaranks' FDA recall-safety rating
Drug	Generic	Form	Status	Used for	Safety ratingFDA recall-based	Pharmacy pays
Colazal	Balsalazide Disodium	Capsule	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative	74/100	$11
Canasa	Mesalamine	Suppository	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative, Proctitis	72/100	$27
Mesalamine	—	Capsule	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative, Proctitis	72/100	$27
Azulfidine En-Tabs	Sulfasalazine	Tablet	Prescription	Arthritis, Juvenile, Arthritis, Rheumatoid	60/100	$6
Apriso	Mesalamine	Capsule	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative, Proctitis	Not yet rated	$27
Azulfidine	Sulfasalazine	Tablet	Prescription	Arthritis, Juvenile, Arthritis, Rheumatoid	Not yet rated	$6
Dipentum	Olsalazine Sodium	Capsule	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative	Not yet rated	—
Lialda	Mesalamine	Tablet	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative, Proctitis	Not yet rated	$27
Pentasa	Mesalamine	Capsule	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative, Proctitis	Not yet rated	$27
Sfrowasa	Mesalamine	Enema	Prescription	Colitis, Ulcerative, Proctitis	Not yet rated	$27

The safety rating column is unique to pharmaranks — an independent 0–100 score from FDA regulatory recall data. Higher is safer. Not medical advice.

Best aminosalicylate by condition

for ulcerative colitis for proctitis for sigmoid diseases for juvenile arthritis for rheumatoid arthritis

Full ranking · 10 drugs

Frequently asked questions

What is the Aminosalicylate drug class?

Aminosalicylate is an FDA Established Pharmacologic Class (EPC) — a group of drugs that share a mechanism of action. pharmaranks lists 10 Aminosalicylate products, each independently rated.

Are all Aminosalicylate drugs the same?

No. Aminosalicylate drugs share the same core mechanism — that is why they sit in one FDA class — but they differ in their approved uses, available forms, whether they are prescription or over-the-counter, brand-vs-generic options and price, and their FDA recall-safety record.

What conditions do Aminosalicylate drugs treat?

Per NIH RxClass drug-classification data, Aminosalicylate drugs are used for conditions including colitis, ulcerative, proctitis, sigmoid diseases, arthritis, juvenile, arthritis, rheumatoid.

Which Aminosalicylate drug is best-rated?

By our independent rating, colazal currently ranks highest among Aminosalicylate drugs. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data — always consult a professional.

Sources: the Aminosalicylate class definition and its member drugs come from the U.S. NLM RxClass (Established Pharmacologic Class); how the class works is summarized from Mesalamine (USAN) - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. Ratings are pharmaranks’ independent FDA recall-safety analysis.