What this medicine information covers
Mesalazine is a prescription medicine used in inflammatory bowel conditions. Individual licences differ by product; for example, Octasa 800 mg modified-release tablets have their own indications and instructions. NHS information describes several oral and rectal preparations. Your clinical team selects the preparation for your condition; one product should not be treated as a universal replacement for another.
Octasa, Pentasa, Salofalk and other named products
Different mesalazine products can release the ingredient in different ways and places in the gut. SPS notes that delivery characteristics, licensed indications and doses can vary. Write down the full product name rather than just 'mesalazine'. A tablet, a granule sachet, a suppository and an enema are distinct items, even if a similar strength is printed on the box. Any switch needs appropriate clinical and prescription checks.
Details to check on your current prescription
- The brand name on the prescription and usual pack.
- The exact form: tablet, granules, suppository or enema.
- The strength and any modified-release or gastro-resistant wording.
- The quantity prescribed and whether more than one preparation is part of the plan.
- How much remains of each prescribed preparation.
Keep the original wording available. You do not need to upload a prescription or disclose a diagnosis to read this guide. If records are needed for a pharmacy discussion, the team will explain how to provide them.
The tablets are available, but the second preparation is not
A person may use more than one preparation and only mention the tablets when asking about stock. Make separate notes for every prescribed item, with the current label and remaining supply. Tell the pharmacy which item is causing difficulty. Do not assume that getting one part of the prescription means another part can be omitted, or that a different preparation has been approved because it contains the same ingredient.
Organising the next repeat
Keep a note of the IBD team's contact route as well as the community pharmacy. A prescription supply question and a possible flare-up need different responses. If symptoms are changing, contact the clinical team rather than waiting for a stock enquiry to resolve them. For routine repeats, agree enough time for brand and form checks, and confirm any collection or delivery date after the actual items have been identified.
Safety and clinical advice
When a clinical conversation comes first
Mesalazine treatment can require monitoring, including kidney-function checks. New severe abdominal symptoms, a serious rash or other concerning reactions need medical advice. If bowel symptoms are worsening, contact your IBD team or GP; use urgent services when appropriate. Do not stop, increase or switch treatment to manage a stock issue without clinical advice. Read the leaflet for your specific product.
Source: Octasa 800 mg patient leaflet ↗
This summary is not the complete patient leaflet. Treatment decisions, substitutions and dose changes need the relevant professional checks.
Prescription questions people ask
Are all mesalazine brands interchangeable?
Do not assume so. Brand and release-formulation differences matter, and the prescribed preparation must be checked.
Are granules and tablets the same prescription item?
No. Specify the pharmaceutical form, strength and full product name when asking a pharmacy a question.
What if I use both oral and rectal medicines?
List each prescribed preparation separately. The availability or supply of one does not establish that the others can be left out.
Can this page advise on a colitis flare?
No. A supply guide does not assess a flare. Contact your GP or IBD team for a changing clinical problem.
Can I request a different brand because I found it online?
Ask the pharmacist and prescriber to assess the proposed change. An online listing does not authorise substitution.
What makes an enquiry easier to handle?
The full brand, form, strength, quantity, prescription status and remaining supply. Keep the original wording rather than shortening it to the ingredient name.
UK prescription questions
Understanding supply and repeat arrangements in the UK
Keep the brand and form in the enquiry
An enquiry for mesalazine should preserve the brand, strength and formulation on the prescription. Tablets, granules and rectal products are not one interchangeable catalogue. Tell the pharmacist which pack you currently use and whether any of the prescription has already been supplied.
Coordinate with your usual bowel-disease care
When a repeat is delayed, identify whether it is awaiting the prescriber or whether the issued item is difficult to obtain. Your pharmacy and clinical team can then discuss the appropriate next step. Do not use a similarly named online product as a substitute. Delivery is a practical arrangement to confirm after the prescription and product details are resolved.
Read the UK prescription and delivery guide →
This practical section was added on 12 October 2026. Availability is confirmed directly with the pharmacy for the exact product; no live stock is shown here.
Questions about your pharmacy arrangements?
Read how prescription enquiries, collection and delivery checks work. The branch confirms arrangements for the actual prescription and address.
About prescription support →Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm. Give a brief enquiry first; the branch arranges any further information needed.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: about mesalazine ↗
- SPS: medicines that should be prescribed by brand ↗
- Octasa 800 mg patient leaflet ↗
- Octasa 800 mg product characteristics ↗
Information prepared by FindMyMeds. Sources checked on 11 October 2026. Medical-page approver: Ranjit Rana. Page-specific sign-off dates have not yet been recorded for this review build. Read the leaflet supplied with your actual medicine and ask a pharmacist or prescriber about individual questions.
How we prepare this information