Sulfasalazine

Sulfasalazine is an approved drug with diverse potential applications. Sulfasalzine is a clinically useful agent for the treatment of colitis and ileocolitis.1 It is metabolized by intestinal bacteria to release the anti-inflammatory agent 5-aminosalicylic acid and the antibacterial agent sulfapyridine. It has also been found to be a specific inhibitor of NFkB (IC50 = 500 µM) 2, inhibitor of IL-2 production of activated T lymphocytes3 and, TNFα and IL-1 synthesis in macrophages4. Sulfasalazine has more recently been shown to be inhibitor of the system Xc- cystine-glutamate antiporter.5,6 It was able to block cystine uptake causing depletion of glutathione resulting in compromised cellular redox defense and ultimately cessation of tumor growth. It has been studied for the treatment of breast, pancreatic, lymphoma, brain and other cancers.