This paper reviews the published data on novel drug treatments for inflammatory bowel disease. Steroids that are topically active or rapidly metabolized have a definite therapeutic role and have fewer long-term side-effects than other steroids. Methotrexate can promote remission in approximately 50% of patients, but is less effective in maintaining remission. Cyclosporin is valuable for treating patients with severe ulcerative colitis but is less valuable for patients with Crohn's disease. None of the drugs that modify specific inflammatory mediators have proven efficacy but tumour necrosing factor and CD4 antibodies may be promising. In patients with distal colitis, lignocaine appears to be effective.