Painful bladder syndrome or interstitial cystitis is a clinical syndrome of urinary urgency, frequency, and bladder or other pelvic pain in the absence of bacterial infection or other defined etiology. It’s a multi-factorial disease, best viewed as a continuum that may extend across years of a patient’s life.Symptoms of interstitial cystitis develop gradually and progressively to the classical triad of pain, urgency, and frequency, until a stable plateau of severity is reached.

Aetiologically there is evidence that interstitial cystitis is based on a damaged glycosaminoglycans (GAG) layer lining the urothelium. Pentosan polysulfate binds to and resembles the endogeneous glycosaminoglycans which adhere to the bladder epithelium in preclinical models. In this way it acts as a buffer to control cell permeability,thus preventing toxins and other irritating solutions in the urine from reaching the uroepithelium. Pentosan Polysulfate has been shown to reduce inflammation associated with interstitial cystitis by inhibiting the inflammatory response and reducing the secretion of histamines.

ELMIRON, the brand name of the drug with the active ingredient pentosan polysulfate sodium, is the first and only oral medication that’s been approved by the FDA for treating the pain or discomfort of interstitial cystitis.

More valuable information can be found on the homepages of several acitve national organizations which offer information and support to IC patients and their families:

or the German non-profit organization ICA-Deutschland e.V
http://www.ica-ev.de