content: <PAGE>
   
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                ___________________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
  
  
                        PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                        THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
  Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  March 3, 1998
  
                                ___________________
  
  
                            SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, LTD.
  ________________________________________________________________________________
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
       BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS           000-23265                  94-3267443
  ________________________________________________________________________________
         (State or other          (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer 
  jurisdiction of incorporation)                               Identification No.)
  
  
  
  3600 WEST BAYSHORE ROAD, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA                     94303
  ________________________________________________________________________________
    (Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip code)
  
  
  (Registrant's telephone number, including area code):  (650) 856-1500
  
  
                               SALIX HOLDINGS, LTD.
  ________________________________________________________________________________
                    (Former name, if changed since last report)
  <PAGE>
   
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
       On March 3, 1998, the Registrant amended its Memorandum and Articles of
  Association of Incorporation by filing a Notice of Amendment of Memorandum and
  Articles of Association (a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this report
  and is hereby incorporated by reference) with the Registry of Companies, British
  Virgin Islands in order to change its name from Salix Holdings, Ltd. to Salix
  Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.  On March 24, 1998, the Registrant issued a news release
  (a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this report and is hereby
  incorporated by reference) publicly announcing the change to the Registrant's
  name.
  
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
  
       No financial statements or pro forma financial information are required to
  be filed as a part of this report. The exhibits filed as part of this report are
  listed in the Exhibit Index hereto.
  <PAGE>
   
                                    SIGNATURES
                                    ----------
  
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                      SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, LTD.
  
  
                                      By:  /s/ J. DAVID BOYLE
                                           -----------------------
                                           J. David Boyle
                                           Chief Financial Officer
  
  
  
  Dated: March 24, 1998
  <PAGE>
   
                            SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, LTD.
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
                        Number and Description of Exhibit*
                        __________________________________
  
  
  
  3.3     Notice of Amendment of Memorandum and Articles of Association, dated 
          March 3, 1998.
  
  99.1.   News release dated March 24, 1998 issued by Registrant
  ----------------
  * Exhibits not listed are inapplicable.
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text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                ___________________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
  
                        PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                        THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  March 3, 1998
  
                                ___________________
  
                            SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, LTD.
  ________________________________________________________________________________
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
       BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS           000-23265                  94-3267443
  ________________________________________________________________________________
         (State or other          (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer 
  jurisdiction of incorporation)                               Identification No.)
  
  3600 WEST BAYSHORE ROAD, PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA                     94303
  ________________________________________________________________________________
    (Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip code)
  
  (Registrant's telephone number, including area code):  (650) 856-1500
  
                               SALIX HOLDINGS, LTD.
  ________________________________________________________________________________
                    (Former name, if changed since last report)
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
       On March 3, 1998, the Registrant amended its Memorandum and Articles of
  Association of Incorporation by filing a Notice of Amendment of Memorandum and
  Articles of Association (a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this report
  and is hereby incorporated by reference) with the Registry of Companies, British
  Virgin Islands in order to change its name from Salix Holdings, Ltd. to Salix
  Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.  On March 24, 1998, the Registrant issued a news release
  (a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this report and is hereby
  incorporated by reference) publicly announcing the change to the Registrant's
  name.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
  
       No financial statements or pro forma financial information are required to
  be filed as a part of this report. The exhibits filed as part of this report are
  listed in the Exhibit Index hereto.
  SIGNATURES
                                    ----------
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                      SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, LTD.
  
                                      By:  /s/ J. DAVID BOYLE
                                           -----------------------
                                           J. David Boyle
                                           Chief Financial Officer
  
  Dated: March 24, 1998
  SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, LTD.
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
                        Number and Description of Exhibit*
                        __________________________________
  
  3.3     Notice of Amendment of Memorandum and Articles of Association, dated 
          March 3, 1998.
  
  99.1.   News release dated March 24, 1998 issued by Registrant
  ----------------
  * Exhibits not listed are inapplicable.