Impact of ulcerative colitis therapy on the bacterial profile of the intestinal microbiota

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases represent a heterogeneous group of chronic diseases occurring as a result of disruption of interaction processes between the mucosal immune system and the colon commensal ecosystem. The key role of the intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis, as well as its definition as a deterministic factor influencing the status of immune activation and the severity of the disease, is confirmed in many studies. Accumulating evidence suggests that non-antibacterial drugs are able to modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota, which in turn may determine the effectiveness of pharmacological therapy and the clinical outcome. The article presents a review of literature on the impact of drugs used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis on the bacterial community of the colon.