Traditional Drugs: Mechanisms of Immunosuppressor and Corticosteroid Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Abstract

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are immunological dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract that develop because of multifactorial processes, including genetic predisposition, gut dysbio-sis, and excessive inflammation in susceptible subjects. These pathologies affect millions of people worldwide, with substantial impact on healthcare systems and patients’ quality of life. Considering the chronic inflammation that underlies the IBD presentation, the main treatment options are related to the control of patients’ inflammatory response, through immunosuppressor and modulatory therapies. Therefore, in this chapter we reviewed the main mechanisms associated with the treatments that are aimed at suppressing mucosal immunity and the effects of corticosteroid therapies in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.