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Options for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: contrasting traditional and novel serotonergic therapies
Author(s) -
Johanson J. F.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
neurogastroenterology and motility
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.489
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1365-2982
pISSN - 1350-1925
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2004.00550.x
Subject(s) - irritable bowel syndrome , serotonergic , medicine , tegaserod , gastroenterology , intensive care medicine , serotonin , receptor
This article reviews the efficacy and tolerability of traditional therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and concludes that they are limited by both poor efficacy and adverse effects. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter found mainly in the gut, appears to represent a link in IBS pathophysiological processes – altered gut motility, abnormal intestinal secretion and visceral hypersensitivity. Recently, available treatments for IBS have targeted serotonin receptors that are involved in motor, sensory and secretory functions of the gut. Serotonergic agents, such as alosetron (a 5‐HT 3 receptor antagonist) and tegaserod (a selective 5‐HT 4 receptor partial agonist), provide global relief of the multiple symptoms of IBS with diarrhoea and IBS with constipation, respectively, and represent important additions to the IBS treatment armamentarium.