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Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists

Prokinetic agents are specialized medications that stimulate gastrointestinal (GI) motility, promoting food movement through the GI tract. Dopamine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, plays a significant role in this process, reducing GI motility and indirectly controlling the speed of digestion. Dopamine receptor antagonists, such as metoclopramide and domperidone, offer a unique advantage as prokinetic agents. By blocking the dopamine receptors, these drugs increase GI motility, improving food...

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists

Serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter synthesized by enterochromaffin cells, plays a cardinal role in regulating gastrointestinal (GI) motility. With over 90% of the body's total serotonin in the GI tract, its influence on digestive processes is profound. Serotonin is swiftly released upon various stimuli, such as food boluses or certain drugs, triggering intrinsic sensory neurons in the myenteric plexus and extrinsic vagal and spinal sensory neurons. This leads to the activation of the...

Gastric Motility

Gastric Motility

Gastric motility is the coordinated contraction and relaxation of stomach muscles that convert ingested food into chyme, a semi-liquid substance ready for further digestion in the intestines. The process begins with the vagus nerve inducing the relaxation of the smooth muscles in the fundus and body of the stomach, allowing these regions to expand and accommodate up to approximately 1.5 liters of food and liquid.
Peristaltic Waves and Chyme Formation
Upon food entry, the stomach initiates...

Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders

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Gastrointestinal or GI motility disorders are characterized by irregular gastrointestinal tract movements, disrupting food transit from the mouth to the anus. They are caused by damage or dysfunction in gut muscles or nerves. These disorders can cause symptoms such as severe constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and swallowing difficulties. Disorders can affect any segment of the GI tract and range widely in severity, from common conditions like GERD to life-threatening conditions like...

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Other Laxatives

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Laxatives are primarily used to alleviate constipation, a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stools. They work by various mechanisms to increase the volume or frequency of bowel movements. The primary modes of action of laxatives include increasing stool bulk, softening the stool, stimulating intestinal motility, and osmotically drawing water into the intestines.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor (GIMM)

Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor (GIMM)

Published on: December 1, 2010

Motilin.

Pierre Poitras¹, Theo L Peeters

¹Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Canada. pierre.poitras@sympatico.ca

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity

|January 11, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Motilin, a digestive tract hormone, is being explored for new medical applications. Future research will focus on its interactions and the development of motilin receptor agonists or antagonists to treat motility disorders.

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Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor (GIMM)

Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor (GIMM)

Published on: December 1, 2010

Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice

Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice

Published on: February 3, 2016

Area of Science:

Gastroenterology
Endocrinology
Pharmacology

Background:

Motilin is a hormone synthesized by duodenal endocrine cells.
It plays a crucial role in regulating digestive tract motility.

Purpose of the Study:

This review explores recent advancements regarding motilin.
It highlights the potential impact of motilin in human medicine.

Main Methods:

Literature review of new findings on motilin.
Discussion of emerging pharmacological agents targeting motilin receptors.

Main Results:

Motilin belongs to a peptide family including ghrelin and obestatin.
Pharmacological motilin receptor agonists and antagonists are under development.
Further characterization of motilin receptors is needed for drug design.

Conclusions:

Motilin's interactions with ghrelin and obestatin present new avenues for basic research.
Motilin receptor modulators may soon offer therapeutic solutions for digestive dysmotility.