Compositions for use in treating and/or alleviating a symptom of inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, and/or enterocolitis in a subject in need thereof are disclosed. The composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of an anthraquinone derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof； and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. In one embodiment, the composition comprises diacerein. Also disclosed is a first composition comprising an anthraquinone derivative selected from the group consisting of diacerein, aloe-emodin, emodin, and rhein, and a first pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle； and a second composition comprising mesalazine, and a second pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, in combination for use in treating and/or alleviating a symptom of inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, and/or enterocolitis.本發明係於有需要的個體用於治療及/或緩和發炎性腸病、結腸炎及/或小腸結腸炎的組合物。本發明的組合物包含治療有效量的蒽醌衍生物或其醫藥上可接受鹽；以及醫藥上可接受載劑。一具體例中，組合物包含雙醋瑞因。亦揭示第一組合物，包含選自雙醋瑞因、蘆薈大黃素蒽、大黃素蒽及大黃酸所成群組之蒽醌衍生物，及第一醫藥上可接受載劑；以及第二組合物，包含美沙拉嗪， 及第二醫藥上可接受載劑，聯合用於治療及/或緩和發炎性腸病、結腸炎及/或小腸結腸炎。
