Innovative, complementary and alternative therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases: A broad 2020s update

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Immunology
• Drug Development and Therapeutics

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) present complex, multifactorial etiologies.
• Current anti-TNF-α therapies offer benefits but have limitations, including non-response and adverse events.
• There is a continuous need for novel therapeutic strategies in IBD management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive and updated review of current and emerging treatments for IBD.
• To introduce a novel classification system for IBD drugs.
• To explore alternative and complementary therapies for symptom burden reduction.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advancements in IBD treatment.
• Analysis of novel biological therapies, small molecules, and procedural interventions.
• Categorization of therapeutic agents based on targeted pathways and mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Identification of new biological therapies and small molecules targeting diverse gut inflammation pathways.
• Evaluation of investigational procedures like leukocytapheresis, fecal microbiota transplant, and stem cell transplantation.
• Highlighting the growing interest in complementary and alternative medicine for IBD symptom management.

Conclusions:

• The therapeutic landscape for IBD is rapidly expanding with diverse treatment options.
• A structured classification aids in understanding and navigating novel IBD therapies.
• Future IBD management will likely involve a multimodal approach combining conventional and alternative strategies.