Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS

Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS

Pharmacological therapies for IBS-C are designed to alleviate abdominal discomfort and enhance bowel function. In patients with IBS-C, fiber supplements may help soften stools and decrease straining, but may also lead to increased gas production and bloating. Osmotic laxatives like milk of magnesia are frequently used to soften stools and increase stool frequency in IBS-C patients. In addition, two drugs approved for use in severe IBS-C adult cases are linaclotide (Linzess) and lubiprostone...

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Bulk-Forming and Stimulant Laxatives

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Bulk-Forming and Stimulant Laxatives

Laxatives enhance bowel movements and alleviate constipation. They augment the stool's bulk, stimulate intestinal muscle contractions, draw water into the intestines, or soften the stool. There are five key types of laxatives: bulk laxatives, stimulant laxatives, osmotic laxatives, stool softeners, and lubricant laxatives.
Bulk-forming laxatives, such as psyllium, methylcellulose, and polycarbophil, absorb water in the intestine, increasing stool bulk and promoting bowel movement. This makes...

Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS

Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is a subtype of IBS characterized primarily by frequent, loose, or watery stools, abdominal pain, and abdominal discomfort. Therapeutic approaches to managing IBS-D include dietary changes, stress management techniques, and pharmaceutical interventions.
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Adsorbents as Antidiarrheal Agents

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Adsorbents as Antidiarrheal Agents

Diarrhea is characterized by the occurrence of frequent, watery bowel movements. Various factors can trigger diarrhea, including viral or bacterial infections, foodborne illnesses, side effects from certain medications, and underlying digestive disorders. If not adequately managed, diarrhea can lead to complications such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and nutrient deficiencies. Severe diarrhea can lead to significant weight loss, malnutrition, and weakened immune function.
Adsorbents...

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Other Laxatives

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Other Laxatives

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.
Osmotic or saline laxatives, like magnesium hydroxide or milk of...

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Gut in Early Life-Postnatal Challenges.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same author

Bowel habits in preterm infants: Observations from the first 2 weeks of life.

Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition·2025

Same author

Navigating through 65 years of insights: lessons learned on functional abdominal pain in children.

European journal of pediatrics·2024

Same author

Acupuncture as multi-targeted therapy for the multifactorial disease obesity: a complex neuro-endocrine-immune interplay.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2023

Same author

Myths and misconceptions about childhood constipation.

European journal of pediatrics·2023

Same author

Prevalence and risk factors of functional gastrointestinal disorders in Vietnamese infants and young children.

BMC pediatrics·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Acupoint Application Combined with Acupoint Massage for Treating Constipation in a Patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Acupoint Application Combined with Acupoint Massage for Treating Constipation in a Patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: August 18, 2023

Functional constipation in childhood: current pharmacotherapy and future perspectives.

Daniël Robin Hoekman¹, Marc Alexander Benninga

¹Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, C2-312, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.r.hoekman@amc.uva.nl

Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy

|December 11, 2012

Summary

Current treatments for childhood functional constipation offer limited success. Polyethylene glycol is a potential first-line option, but new drug classes require further pediatric research for efficacy and safety.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Acupoint Application Combined with Acupoint Massage for Treating Constipation in a Patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Acupoint Application Combined with Acupoint Massage for Treating Constipation in a Patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Published on: August 18, 2023

Area of Science:

Pediatric Gastroenterology
Pharmacology

Background:

Childhood constipation is a prevalent condition, often functional, impacting quality of life.
Symptoms include infrequent, painful defecation and fecal incontinence.
Current pharmacological treatments frequently yield disappointing results.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current and emerging pharmacological therapies for childhood functional constipation.

Main Methods:

Literature review of existing and novel drug treatments.
Analysis of evidence supporting current laxative use.
Evaluation of new drug classes based on adult data and preliminary pediatric insights.

Main Results:

Limited evidence supports the efficacy of many current laxative treatments.
Polyethylene glycol is suggested as a suitable first-line maintenance therapy.
New pharmacological agents show promise, but pediatric data are scarce.

Conclusions:

Evidence for preferred laxative use in children is weak.
Further pediatric studies are essential to establish the efficacy and safety of new drug classes for functional constipation.
Advances in understanding gut physiology are driving new therapeutic developments.