Question

Which pharmacologic therapy used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases suppresses tumor necrosis factor (TNF) to reduce inflammation?

1) Olsalazine (Dipentum)
2) Infliximab (Remicade)
3) Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol)
4) Metronidazole (Flagyl)

Answer 1

Infliximab (Remicade) is the pharmacologic therapy that suppresses tumor necrosis factor (TNF) to reduce inflammation in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, certain pharmacologic therapies are designed to reduce inflammation. One such therapy targets and suppresses the activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation. The correct answer to which pharmacologic therapy suppresses TNF to reduce inflammation is Infliximab (Remicade). Infliximab works by binding to TNFα, preventing it from interacting with its receptors on the cell surface, thereby inhibiting its pro-inflammatory effects. This is in contrast to other medications such as Olsalazine (Dipentum), which is an anti-inflammatory agent, Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol), a corticosteroid, and Metronidazole (Flagyl), an antibiotic that is also used for its anti-inflammatory properties in certain types of IBD.