Diverticular disease of the colon is among the most common diseases of westernised and industrialised countries. Its prevalence is approximately 5-10% of people up to 50 years of age, 30% of those > 50 years of age, and 50% of those > 70 years of age, and 66% of people > 85 years of age. Standard medical therapies with antibiotics are still the recommended treatment. However, changing concepts and new therapies recently found that anti-inflammatory agents, such as mesalazine (alone or in combination with antibiotics) and probiotics, may be useful in shortening the course of the disease and perhaps in preventing recurrences.