An oral formulation of mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid, 5-ASA, Asacol - Proctor & Gamble), was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis; it has not been approved for maintenance of remissions. Olsalazine (Dipentum), a similar drug (Medical Letter, 32:105, 1990), is approved for maintenance of remissions but not for treatment.

Rifabutin (formerly ansamycin; Mycobutin - Adria), a rifamycin antibiotic similar to rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane) was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for prevention of disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease in patients with advanced HIV infection.

Captopril (Capoten - Bristol-Myers Squibb), an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor previously available for treatment of hypertension, has now been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of diabetic nephropathy in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in the United States.

An intranasal formulation of the corticosteroid budesonide (Rhinocort Nasal Inhaler - Astra) was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis in adults and children and nonallergic perennial rhinitis in adults. Budesonide has been available in Canada and Europe for several years for inhalation treatment of both allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Moexipril hydrochloride (Univasc - Schwarz Pharma), an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of. It is the eighth ACE inhibitor to be marketed in the USA.

Patients may be asking their physicians about use of histamine H2-receptor antagonists for treatment and prevention of heartburn. Cimetidine and famotidine have recently been released for over-the-counter sale and are being heavily advertised on television and in the print media.

Acarbose (Precose -Bayer), an oral alpha-glucosidase inhibitor that has been available in Europe for several years, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).

Reports of increased mortality associated with calcium-channel blockers have caused concerns among patients taking these drugs and their physicians.

Tizanidine (Zanaflex - Athena Neurosciences) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment of increased muscle tone associated with spasticity. It has been available in Europe and Japan for 12 years as a short-term muscle relaxant.

Bupropion hydrochloride, currently available as an antidepressant (Wellbutrin - Medical Letter, 31:97, 1989; Wellbutrin SR), is now being marketed in a sustainedrelease formulation as Zyban (Glaxo Wellcome) for use as an aid in smoking cessation.