Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), a by-product of anaerobic fermentation
of undigested carbohydrates within the colon, are an important energy
source for colonic epithelial cells. It has been proposed that ulcera
tive colitis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the colon, may resul
t from a metabolic defect in SCFA oxidation in the colon and that this
defect may be corrected by supraphysiologic luminal levels of SCFA in
the colon. Clinical trials published to date suggest that topical SCF
A provide an effective primary and/or adjunctive treatment in patients
with mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis at substantial cost s
avings and without significant side effects.