The Best Medicines for Treating Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease defined by bleeding and inflamed sores in the large intestine, or colon. The disease causes a myriad of unpleasant symptoms, including frequent, bloody diarrhea and intense abdominal cramping. Although medication cannot be used to cure the disease, a number of drugs are helpful in managing symptoms and minimizing flareups.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents

• Anti-inflammatory drugs, including Asacol, Azulfidine and Dipentum, are often prescribed in pill form to reduce swelling inside the colon, thereby decreasing abdominal pain and slowing rectal bleeding.

Anti-Diarrheal Medications

• Anti-diarrheal medications, including Imodium, are used to control the bouts with diarrhea common to people afflicted with ulcerative colitis. This class of drug is believed to decrease intestinal motility.

Biologics

• In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the biologic drug Remicade to treat ulcerative colitis. Biologics are made from living organisms and, for some patients, lessen the side effects of corticosteroids.

Immune Modifiers

• Immune modifiers, such as Imuran, reduce specific white blood cell counts and can lead to longer remission from the disease.

Corticosteroids

• Corticosteroids, including prednisone, rapidly reduce inflammation and are, therefore, helpful when treating colitis flareups. They can be administered orally, rectally or intravenously depending on the severity of symptoms.