trimebutine

Trimebutine is a drug with antimuscarinic and very weak mu opioid agonist effects. It is used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders. It is sometimes combined with simethicone as a combination drug. Trimebutine is formulated as a tablet or granules for oral suspension.

== Pharmacology == Trimebutine is a multimodal drug that acts on many receptors in the body. Its main effects are mediated through inhibition of voltage-gated L-type calcium channels, thereby decreasing calcium influx in smooth muscle in the gut. This mechanism explains its ability to slow peristalsis, which in turn helps with diarrhoea management in IBS patients. Antispasmodic effect is mediated through inhibition of inward rectifier potassium channels and calcium-dependend potassium channels. Moreover, trimebutine and its metabolite N-desmethyltrimebutine exert non-selective antagonistic effect on mAChRs, which is believed to potentiate its antispasmodic effects, as do many other drugs in this class.