[PPARgamma agonists for the diseases of gastrointestinal tract and liver].

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is expressed in colonic epithelial cells at high levels and is assumed to play an important physiological role in the gut. In vitro as well as animal model experiments showed considerable anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects of thiazolidinedione (TZD) PPARgamma agonists in the colon. Therefore, in the gastroenterology field, much attention has been focused on the efficacy of TZD on the treatment of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Although we only have very limited clinical evidence at present, TZD might be useful for the chemoprevention of colorectal cancer and treatment of mild to moderately active inflammatory bowel diseases, which warrant further clinical studies.