In healthy individuals, the systemic absorption of intact balsalazide was very low and variable. The mean Cmax occurs approximately 1-2 hours after single oral doses of 1.5 grams or 2.25 grams. The absolute bioavailability of this compound was not determined. In a study of ulcerative colitis patients receiving balsalazide, 1.5 grams twice daily, for over one year, systemic drug exposure, based on mean AUC values, was up to 60 times greater (8 ng*hr/mL to 480 ng*hr/mL) to after equivalent multiple doses of 1.5 grams twice daily when compared to healthy subjects who received the same dose. There was a large intersubject variability in the plasma concentration of balsalazide versus time profiles in all studies, thus its half-life could not be determined. The effect of food intake on the absorption of this compound was not studied.