Mebeverine for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

The Rome IV criteria published in 2016 are the latest update of diagnostic criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders, defined also according to the new definition, as disorders of gut-brain interaction. According to these criteria irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is currently defined as recurrent abdominal pain, on average, present at least one day per week in the last 3 months, associated with 2 out of 3 criteria: 1) related of defecation, 2) associated with a change in frequency of stool, 3) associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool. There are four IBS subtypes: those with predominant constipation, those with predominant diarrhea, those with mixed bowel habits and unsubtyped IBS. The treatment of IBS is targeted at the management of constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and usually includes different type of pharmacotherapy and lifestyle modifications. Mebeverine hydrochloride is a musculotropic antispasmodic with a direct effect on the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract, relieving spasm without affecting normal gut motility. During oral administration it shows no typical anticholinergic side effects, such as dry mouth, blurred vision, and impaired micturition. This agent is now sold in more than 50 countries all over the world, and its efficacy and tolerability have been demonstrated in several controlled studies and in many open clinical trials.