Cholecystokinin antagonists

Proglumide, sold under the brand name Milid, is a drug that inhibits gastrointestinal motility and reduces gastric secretions. It acts as a cholecystokinin antagonist, which blocks both the CCKA and CCKB subtypes. It was used mainly in the treatment of stomach ulcers, although it has now been largely replaced by newer drugs for this application.

Devazepide (L-364,718, MK-329) is benzodiazepine drug, but with quite different actions from most benzodiazepines, lacking affinity for GABAA receptors and instead acting as an CCKA receptor antagonist. It increases appetite and accelerates gastric emptying, and has been suggested as a potential treatment for a variety of gastrointestinal problems including dyspepsia, gastroparesis and gastric reflux. It is also widely used in scientific research into the CCKA receptor.

Asperlicin is a mycotoxin, derived from the fungus Aspergillus alliaceus. It acts as a selective antagonist for the cholecystokinin receptor CCKA, and has been used as a lead compound for the development of a number of novel CCKA antagonists with potential clinical applications. He et al. 1998 present a synthesis from aryl iodide and vinyl iodide.

Dexloxiglumide is a drug which acts as a cholecystokinin antagonist, selective for the CCKA subtype. It inhibits gastrointestinal motility and reduces gastric secretions, and despite older selective CCKA antagonists such as lorglumide and devazepide having had only limited success in trials and ultimately never making it into clinical use, dexloxiglumide is being investigated as a potential treatment for a variety of gastrointestinal problems including irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, constipation and pancreatitis, and has had moderate success so far although trials are still ongoing.