Section Review Pulmonary-Allergy, Dermatological, Gastrointestinal & Arthritis: Experimental cytokine modulation therapy of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis)

Abstract

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic, idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Although current drugs are reasonably efficient in the treatment of IBD, there are still a significant number of patients with either insufficient response to, or inhibitory side-effects following standard treatment. New approaches to the treament of these patients are therefore warranted. Immunoinflammatory reactions are initiated and controlled by cytokines. Cytokines relay distinct information between cells involved in all aspects of inflammation. This makes them interesting targets for therapy. This article outlines the basis for specific cytokine-directed therapy in IBD as well as the current use of experimental, cytokine-modulating drugs.