Background: Budesonide is a glucocorticoid with high topical glucocorticoid activity and low systemic availability. Oral pH-modified release budesonide has been investigated for the treatment of various inflammatory intestinal diseases.
Objective: To summarise the investigational data of oral pH-modified release budesonide for the treatment of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis.
Methods: Assessment of all published (full paper or meeting abstract) clinical studies with oral pH-modified release budesonide for the treatment of inflammatory intestinal diseases.
Results/conclusion: Oral pH-modified release budesonide induces remission in mild-to-moderately active Crohn's disease of the ileum and/or ascending colon. This drug is useful to replace conventional systemic glucocorticoids in patients with ileocoecal Crohn's disease. Open-label studies showed efficacy in ulcerative colitis, but this finding has to be confirmed in controlled trials. Oral pH-modified release budesonide is also effective for the treatment of collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis.