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Related Experiment Videos

Racecadotril.

A J Matheson1, S Noble

  • 1Adis International Limited, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz

Drugs
|May 10, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Racecadotril, an enkephalinase inhibitor, effectively treats acute diarrhea by reducing intestinal fluid secretion. Clinical trials show it is as effective as loperamide but with fewer side effects like constipation.

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Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Racecadotril is an oral enkephalinase inhibitor.
  • It functions by preventing the degradation of endogenous opioids (enkephalins).
  • This mechanism reduces the hypersecretion of water and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of racecadotril in treating acute diarrhea.
  • To compare racecadotril's effectiveness against placebo, loperamide, and loperamide-oxide.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized double-blind studies were conducted in adult volunteers and patients (adults and children) with diarrhea.
  • Diarrhea was induced using castor oil in animal models (rats) and human volunteers.
  • Efficacy was assessed by measuring stool weight and number; tolerability was evaluated by monitoring side effects, particularly constipation.

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Main Results:

  • Racecadotril significantly reduced stool weight and number compared to placebo in castor oil-induced diarrhea models.
  • Studies in adults and children demonstrated racecadotril's significant effectiveness against placebo in infectious diarrhea and diarrhea associated with HIV infection.
  • Racecadotril showed efficacy comparable to loperamide and loperamide-oxide, with a better tolerability profile and significantly less constipation than loperamide.

Conclusions:

  • Racecadotril is an effective treatment for acute diarrhea.
  • It offers comparable efficacy to loperamide but with improved tolerability and reduced incidence of constipation.