Pharmacological aspects of therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases: antidiarrheal agents.

We review the use of antidiarrheal medications in inflammatory bowel disease, commenting on potential underlying immunologic mechanisms as a background for discussion of the clinical usage of antidiarrheal medications in this disease spectrum. We comment on new directions for the development of more effective therapeutic approaches and discuss the mechanism of action of antidiarrheal drugs, with emphasis on synthetic opiates.