Chronic inflammation of the digestive tract—either Crohn’s disease (anywhere in the GI tract) or ulcerative colitis (colon only).Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, characterized by chronic relapsing intestinal inflammation driven by dysregulated mucosal immunity. Pathogenesis involves genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers, microbiome disruption, and barrier dysfunction. Several peptides are being investigated for IBD: PL-8177 (MC1R agonist, anti-inflammatory), VIP (VPAC1/2-mediated immunosuppression), and KPV (NF-κB suppression in preclinical models). Tight junction restoration (larazotide approach) represents an alternative mechanism.