Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a heterogeneous group of chronic, relapsing inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases for which there is no cure. Many models of IBD exist, owing to the complex disease pathophysiology. Although immunosuppressants are mainstay treatments, antibiotics are frequently prescribed to decrease harmful bacteria, which can exacerbate immune responses. Azithromycin is a macrolide antibiotic with immunomodulatory functions that has been extensively studied in the airways,

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... but few have examined its role in IBD. This project investigated several clinical, pathological, and immunomodulatory effects of azithromycin in a murine dextran sulfate sodium model of colitis. Azithromycin substantially mitigated clinical disease presentation, as assessed by animal behaviour, weight change, and gross pathology. However, these effects were not reflected on a microscopic, hematologic, or biochemical level, and no mechanism was found to explain them. The results highlight the importance of clinical assessment as a tool to determine therapeutic efficacy in colitis research.