Novel therapeutic targets for enteric nervous system disorders

Abstract

There is a large unmet need for effective drugs for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, notably irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The market value for an effective irritable bowel syndrome therapeutic agent is estimated at over US$10 billion per annum. Each of these disorders seems to have a neural component, involving the intrinsic innervation of the gastrointestinal system, its extrinsic innervation or both. The substantially improved understanding of the transmitters, receptors and ion channels of enteric neurons that now exists has led to targeted therapy. The most promising targets so far have been 5-hydroxytryptamine recept..