Medications
The drugs used in digestive system conditions, what they do, and what to watch for.
Medical disclaimer
These pages are for information. Never start, stop or change the dose of any medicine without asking your doctor.
- Asacol Asacol is a drug whose active ingredient is mesalazine (5-ASA). It is used mainly in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. By reducing the inflammation in the bowel wall, it helps bring the symptoms of the disease under control.
- Colestyramine (Questran, Questran Light, LoCholest, Colestid, Prevalite) Colestyramine is a drug that works by binding bile acids in the bowel. It can be used particularly to treat diarrhoea caused by bile acids, to reduce the itching seen in some liver and bile duct diseases, and to lower high cholesterol in certain patients.
- Cytotec Cytotec is a drug whose active ingredient is misoprostol. It is used to protect the stomach from the harmful effects of certain medicines.
- H2 Blockers H2 blockers are drugs that reduce the amount of acid the stomach makes. They can be used to treat reflux, heartburn and some stomach and duodenal ulcers.
- Imuran (azathioprine) Imuran is a drug whose active ingredient is azathioprine. It reduces the activity of the immune system. It can be used in some suitable patients, particularly for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Lansoprazole Lansoprazole is a drug that reduces the amount of acid the stomach makes. It is used particularly to treat reflux disease, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and some diseases caused by stomach acid.
- Lomotil (diphenoxylate and atropine) Lomotil is a drug used to reduce diarrhoea. It contains two active ingredients: diphenoxylate and atropine.
- Purinethol (6-mercaptopurine, 6-MP) Purinethol is a drug whose active ingredient is mercaptopurine (6-MP). It reduces the activity of the immune system. It belongs to the group of drugs called thiopurines.
- Remicade Remicade (infliximab) is a biological drug that has been used for many years to treat inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Sucralfate (Antepsin) Sucralfate is a drug that helps protect damaged surfaces in the stomach and duodenum. It can be used particularly to treat duodenal ulcers.
- Sulfasalazine (Salazopyrin EN tablet, Azulfidine, Azulfidine En-Tabs, SAS-500) Sulfasalazine is a drug with an anti-inflammatory effect, used particularly in ulcerative colitis and some rheumatic diseases.