Medical treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease of uncertain etiology with recurrent symptoms and considerable morbidity. There is no known medical cure for ulcerative colitis. The ultimate goal of treatment in any patient suffering from ulcerative colitis is inducing and maintaining clinical remission. New uses are being found for old drugs, and more and more new drugs are becoming available. This article is not only intended to help clinicians to evaluate new treatments for ulcerative colitis, but also to revisit older treatments with a critical eye.