Revisiting Abdominal Pain in IBS: From Pathophysiology to Targeted Management with Alverine Citrate/Simeticone

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Abdominal pain is the primary symptom and burden in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Effective management of IBS-related pain remains a significant clinical challenge across all subtypes.
• Pathophysiological mechanisms include visceral hypersensitivity, altered brain-gut communication, and luminal factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the pathophysiological mechanisms of IBS pain.
• To examine current treatment guidelines and real-world practices.
• To evaluate the efficacy of alverine citrate/simeticone for IBS pain management.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of pathophysiological mechanisms.
• Analysis of guideline recommendations and treatment patterns.
• Evaluation of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, focusing on alverine citrate/simeticone.

Main Results:

• Alverine citrate/simeticone demonstrates smooth muscle relaxant, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory actions.
• Clinical trials confirm its efficacy in reducing IBS pain and improving quality of life.
• The combination therapy also shows potential for lowering healthcare resource utilization.

Conclusions:

• Personalized, mechanism-based approaches are needed for IBS pain management.
• Alverine citrate/simeticone offers a pragmatic therapeutic option targeting both motor and sensory pathways.
• Unmet needs include subtype-specific strategies, biomarkers, and integrated care access.