The enteric nervous system III: a target for pharmacological treatment

The past decade has seen major advances in the pharmacological understanding of the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract, the enteric nervous system, and its importance for gut functions in several states of disease. Indeed, the enteric nervous system has become a promising target in the treatment of many gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders. Some of these new therapeutic concepts, such as botulinum toxin for achalasia and serotonergic drugs for functional bowel diseases, are already in clinical use. This paper is part 3 of three Minireviews in Pharmacology & Toxicology, and presents the neurogastrointestinal pharmacological therapeutic options in gastrointestinal pain, functional gastrointestinal disorders, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer and related conditions with focus on future drug targets. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal neuropathy, the role of serotonin and related neuroendocrine transmitters, serotonergic drugs, and neurotrophic factors in neurogastrointestinal pharmacology will be addressed in this context.