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Electroacupuncture Combined with Chinese Medicine Ironing Therapy for Functional Constipation
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Novel therapies for constipation.
Sreedhari Thayalasekeran1, Hani Ali1, Her-Hsin Tsai1
1Sreedhari Thayalasekeran, Hani Ali, Her-Hsin Tsai, Department of Gastroenterology, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham HU165JQ, United Kingdom.
World Journal of Gastroenterology
|December 24, 2013
Summary
New therapies like prucalopride, linaclotide, and lubiprostone offer effective and safe options for chronic constipation management when standard treatments fail. These novel drugs target different mechanisms to improve bowel movements.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Constipation is a prevalent condition, often challenging to manage when conventional laxatives are ineffective.
- Diverse etiologies necessitate individualized treatment strategies, ranging from dietary changes to pharmacologic interventions for severe cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize novel, effective therapies for chronic constipation.
- To identify and evaluate recently introduced drugs for constipation management.
Main Methods:
- A literature search was conducted on PubMed and Ovid for reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published since 2003.
- Keywords used included: constipation, prucalopride, linaclotide, and lubiprostone.
Main Results:
- Prucalopride, a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonist, improved spontaneous complete bowel movements in patients with idiopathic constipation.
- Linaclotide, a guanylate cyclase-C agonist, demonstrated significant improvement in bowel evacuation and symptom resolution in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).
- Lubiprostone, a type-2 chloride channel activator, increased intestinal fluid secretion, leading to a greater mean number of spontaneous complete bowel movements.
Conclusions:
- Prucalopride, lubiprostone, and linaclotide represent novel therapeutic options for chronic constipation.
- Despite distinct mechanisms of action, these three drugs have demonstrated efficacy and safety in clinical trials for constipation treatment.
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