ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the protocol to evaluate the efficacy of anticolitic agents against ulcerative colitis in cotton-top tamarins. The occurrence of spontaneous idiopathic colitis in cotton-top tamarins (CTT) offers a primate model that closely duplicates the human disease, an advantage of using this model. Selection of the animals model for inclusion in any study is extremely important. The investigator must carefully select animals, with the assurance that the active colitis that is being treated is persistent and not going through spontaneous exacerbations and remissions that could make evaluation of therapeutic efficacy very difficult if not impossible to interpret. While some species differences exist between human and CTT ulcerative colitis, remarkable similarities are also present; these further support the idea that information that is not available from other models can be obtained through appropriate use of this model. CTT model should be used as an adjunct for evaluating a compound for food and drug administration approval.
