title: Review article: 5-hydroxytryptamine agonists and antagonists in the modulation of gastrointestinal motility and sensation: clinical implications.
abstract: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is found in the enteric nervous system where it has been implicated in controlling gastrointestinal motor function. A number of receptor or recognition sites have been identified in the gut, but recently most attention has focused on the 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors. The functional role of the 5-HT3 receptor remains incompletely understood, but it is probably involved in the modulation of colonic motility and visceral pain in the gut. A number of selective 5-HT3 antagonists have been developed including ondansetron, granisetron, tropisetron renzapride and zacopride. While the substituted benzamide prokinetics (for example, metoclopramide, cisapride) also block 5-HT3 receptors in high concentrations, their prokinetic action is believed to be on the basis of their agonist effects on the putative 5-HT4 receptor. Some 5-HT3 antagonists have 5-HT4 agonist activity (for example, renzapride, zacopride) and others do not (for example, ondansetron, granisetron), while tropisetron in high concentrations is a 5-HT4 antagonist. Based on the pharmacological data, it has been suggested that specific 5-HT antagonists and agonists may prove to be beneficial in a number of gastrointestinal disorders including the irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, non-cardiac chest pain, gastrooesophageal reflux and refractory nausea. In this review, the rationale for the use of these compounds is discussed, and the available experimental evidence is summarized.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Talley
mesh_terms: D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000294:innervation; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000737:chemistry; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin