PLEASE BE CAREFUL DON'T FALL VICTIM Anti-inflammatory drugs

Anti-inflammatory drugs are often the first step in the treatment of inflammatory  

bowel disease.    They include:    • Corticosteroids. 

Corticosteroids such as prednisone and 

budesonide (Entocort EC) can help reduce inflammation in your body, but they don’t work for everyone with Crohn’s disease.
Doctors generally use them only if you
don’t respond to other treatments.
Corticosteroids may be used for short-term (three to four months) symptom
improvement and to induce remission.
Corticosteroids may also be used in
combination with an immune system
suppressor.

Oral 5-aminosalicylates have been widely used in the past but now are generally
considered of limited benefit.
These drugs also reduce inflammation, but they target your immune system, which
produces the substances that cause
inflammation.
For some people, a combination of these drugs works better than one drug alone.
Immunosuppressant drugs include:

Azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) and 
mercaptopurine (Purinethol, Purixan).
These are the most widely used
immunosuppressants for treatment of
inflammatory bowel disease.
Taking them requires that you follow up closely with your doctor and have your
blood checked regularly to look for side
effects, such as a lowered resistance to
infection and inflammation of the liver.
They may also cause nausea and
vomiting.
• Infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab
(Humira) and certolizumab pegol (Cimzia). These drugs, called TNF inhibitors or
biologics, work by neutralizing an immune system protein known as tumor necrosis factor (TN F).
• Methotrexate (Trexall).
This drug is sometimes used for people with Crohn’s disease who don’t respond well to other medications. You will need to be followed closely for side effects.
Natalizumab (Tysabri) and vedolizumab (Entyvio).
These drugs work by stopping certain
immune cell molecules — integrins — from binding to other cells in your intestinal
lining. 
Because natalizumab is associated with a rare but serious risk of progressive
multifocal leukoencephalopathy — a brain disease that usually leads to death or
severe disability — you must be enrolled in a special restricted distribution program to use it.
Vedolizumab recently was approved for
Crohn’s disease.
It works like natalizumab but appears not to carry a risk of brain disease.
•Ustekinumab (Stelara).
This drug is used to treat psoriasis.
Studies have shown that it’s useful in treating Crohn’s disease as well and may be used when other medical treatments

Antibiotics

Antibiotics can reduce the amount of drainage and sometimes heal fistulas and abscesses in people with Crohn’s disease. Some researchers also think antibiotics help reduce harmful intestinal bacteria that may play a role in activating the intestinal immune system, leading to inflammation. Frequently prescribed antibiotics include ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and metronidazole (Flagyl).