Drug therapy for inflammatory bowel disease: Part I.
In a two-part series, recent improvements in drug therapy for inflammatory bowel disease are reviewed. Part I summarizes aminosalicylates and corticosteroids. The active moiety of sulfasalazine, which is 5-aminosalicylic acid (mesalamine), in topical or oral form is as effective as sulfasalazine for treatment and prophylaxis of ulcerative colitis and is tolerated by 80% of sulfasalazine-intolerant patients. Coated forms of mesalamine have a potential advantage in the treatment of Crohn's ileitis in that these forms do not require bacterial cleavage for activity. New rapidly metabolized corticosteroids (budesonide, tixocortol pivalate, beclomethasone dipropionate) in topical and oral forms are emerging as equivalent therapy to standard corticosteroids but are associated with less adrenal suppression.
Linn
F V
FV
Department of Medicine, Thorndike Laboratory, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Peppercorn
M A
MA
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids