A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of Mesalazine in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Inclusion Criteria: * IBS patients (both males and females) with positive diagnosis based on Rome II criteria * age ≥ 18 years * Patients capable of conforming to the study protocol; * Patients who have given their free and informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with ascertained Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Crohn disease, Diverticular disease, Ulcerative colitis, Infectious colitis, Ischemic colitis, microscopic colitis) * Patients with ascertained food intolerance/allergy * Patients with active malignancy of any type, or history of a malignancy (patients with a history of other malignancies that have been surgically removed and who have no evidence of recurrence for at least five years before study enrollment are also acceptable) * Presence of major abdominal surgeries * Ascertained hypersensitivity to the salicylates * Positive faecal culture for bacterial, or parasitic pathogens * Patients with history of clinically significant renal (creatinine ≥ 2.0 mg/dL or ≥177 μmol/L), hepatic (AST or ALT greater than three times the upper limit of normal range), cardiac, metabolic or haematological disease * Esophageal, gastric or duodenal ulcer within 30 days prior to randomization * Patients with intended or ascertained pregnancy; lactation * Patients who become unable to conform to protocol * Patients who are continuously taking laxatives * Patients in antibiotic therapy during the last month * Patients in current therapy with corticosteroids * Treatment with any inves…