Plantago ovata seeds (dietary fiber) might be as effective as mesalamine to maintain remission in ulcerative colitis.

An epidemiological study of inflammatory bowel disease in the Province of Granada, Spain, was conducted between 1979 and1988. Altogether, 257 cases were identified: 167 ulcerative colitis, 79 Crohn's disease, and 11 indeterminate colitis. The mean incidence of ulcerative colitis in the 10 year period was 2/105 and 0-9/105 for Crohn's disease. This is the first epidemiological study in Spain ofthe incidence of ulcerative colitis and corroborates the results of an earlier population based study on the incidence of Crohn's disease in Spain.