Nicotine therapy for ulcerative colitis

Smoking has been associated with a decreased frequency of UC. Currently, the role of nicotine for the treatment of UC is not established. Several studies have evaluated nicotine gum and transdermal patches as supplemental therapy for stable UC, but nicotine has not been compared with other treatment modalities. Nicotine dosages in the studies have varied from 5 to 30 mg/d without apparent dose-related therapeutic effects, and many patients have found relief from placebo treatment. Patients often do not tolerate nicotine therapy's adverse effects, which can include nausea, light-headedness, and headache. Due to the cyclic disease course of UC and the potential addictiveness of nicotine, further large studies are warranted to assess the benefits of nicotine therapy for UC. These studies should be conducted using a randomized, double-blind design with an extensive follow-up period. Until further trials are conducted, nicotine should generally not be recommended for UC treatment.

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				J. K. S. Ko and C.-H. Cho The Diverse Actions of Nicotine and Different Extracted Fractions from Tobacco Smoke against Hapten-Induced Colitis in Rats Toxicol. Sci., September 1, 2005; 87(1): 285 - 295. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]