Ulcerative Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease, which causes inflammation and ulceration of inner lining of the colon and rectum. The inflammation usually begins in the rectum and sigmoid colon and spread upward to the entire colon. Ulcerative colitis rarely affects the small intestine.

It occurs at the rate of approximately five cases per 100,000 people. The disease pattern is one of the remission and exacerbation. It can occur at any age but its onset is most common among people between ages of 15 - 40. Ulcerative colitis affects male and females equally and appears to run in some families.

What Causes Ulcerative Colitis ? -
The exact cause of Ulcerative is not known. Autoimmune factors, food allergies, collagen disorders, genetic factors, infection and psychogenesis have all been suggested. One or some combination of these factors thought to trigger the inflammatory process.

The theory of the involvement of the immune mechanism has been widely accepted because of concept that therapeutic agents like Corticosteroids and Azothiaprine exert their effect via the immuno suppressive mechanism.

The psychological factors of feelings like anger and anxiety of the degree of depression experienced by a sufferer are also important in modifying the course of the disease.