Current overview of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in etiology and progression of inflammatory bowel diseases

Pharmacol Rep. 2014 Oct;66(5):766-75. doi: 10.1016/j.pharep.2014.04.005. Epub 2014 Apr 29.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic, relapsing disorders affecting gastrointestinal (GI) tract and associated with intestinal mucosa damage and inflammation. The principal therapeutic goals in IBD include control of the intestinal inflammation and treatment of the major symptoms, mainly abdominal pain and diarrhea. Current therapeutic strategies for IBD rely on the use of non-specific anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressive drugs (e.g. aminosalicylates, monoclonal antibodies, and antibiotics), which cause severe side effects, and - in a significant number of patients - do not induce long-term benefits. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology and the most important risk factors of IBD, including genetic, immunological and environmental. Our main focus is to discuss pharmacological targets for current and future treatments of IBD.

Keywords: Crohn's disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Risk factors; Ulcerative colitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / drug therapy
  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Diarrhea / drug therapy
  • Diarrhea / etiology
  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Design
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / drug therapy
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / epidemiology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents