Treatment of Colitis Disease
These days many medicines are available to cure and control the colitis. The type of therapy and drug used to cure the patient depends on the severity of the disease. Medicines and drugs are use to recover the damage in the colon.
Following are the drugs used to cure and control the colitis, the combination of the medicines may be different as per the stage of the damage.
Aminosalicylates
This group of drugs is used against the inflammation to treat the colitis. These can give good result to minimize or maintain the severity of the ulcer. In the aminosalicylates, 5-aminosalicylic acid is used as anti-inflammatory agent.
- Sulfasalazine- It decomposes in the intestine and releases the 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA)
- Mesalazine – This drug is used to increase the amount of anandamide in the intestine which is used to cover the inflammation. It can trap the free radicals like atoms or molecule which can interfere in the reaction carried out in the intestine.
- Olsalazine - This drug is commonly used to cure the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. The functioning of the Olsalazine is similar to the Mesalazine.
- Balsalazide - It releases the 5-aminosalicylic acid and is helpful in passing active agents from small intestine to large intestine.
- Sulfasalazine or Azulfidine - It is used to cover the inflammation but it shows some side effects like hepatotoxicity, fever and skin rashes
Corticosteroids
- Corticosteroids are steroid hormones synthesized by the adrenal cortex of the adrenal gland. These steroids can regulate the inflammation.
- When corticosteroids are used in combination with the 5-aminosalicylic acid we can get better results
- Corticosteroids stops the action of the WBC against the tissue of the colon which is one of the cause of inflammation
- The corticosteroids used to treat colitis are Cortisone, Prednisone, Methylprednisone, Hydrocortisone and Budesonide
- These drugs also shows side effects like puffy moon like face, person can show mental problem
Drugs to suppress immune system
- The drugs which are used to suppress the activity of the immune system are called as the immunosuppressive drugs.
- These drugs are used to control the autoimmune disease like colitis.
- These medicines mainly reduce the division of the WBC which attacks the tissues of colon causing colitis
- Mercaptopurine-This drug mainly inhibit the synthesis of the DNA and RNA which will restrict the division of the cells
- Azathiorine - It slow down or interfere the production of the purine which is the important component of the DNA and RNA
- Methotrexate- It is important for stopping the production of folic acid which is required for division or duplication of the DNA
Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)
TNF regulates the immune cells by different activities like by inducing cell death which is helpful for controlling inflammation and doubling of virus
Surgery
This is also one of method to cure the severe colitis. In this method, the affected part is removed surgically from the body. Sometime patient does not give positive response for the drugs in such condition surgery is the only option to cure the colitis.
