Abstract
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic digestive conditions incurable by medication or surgery, which affect mainly young populations in economically developed countries. A medical treatment includes conventional preparations: aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, antibiotics and exceptionally also probiotics, while in not responding patients or those at higher risk of an adverse course a biological treatment is indicated.
The most frequently administered biologics are antibodies directed against the tumour-necrosis factor α, which are highly effective, but the length of their application is limited by a loss of efficiency and incidence of adverse effects. The new, more selectively acting biologics include anti-integrin antibodies and interleukin 12/23 antibodies.