Background: The options for the treatment of diarrhea and constipation are evolving as emerging therapies target small bowel receptors. The goal of this review is to discuss small bowel receptors involved in intestinal absorption, secretion, and motility. The review highlights therapies already approved or currently being studied for the modulation of these receptors.
Methods: The articles cited in this review focus on the molecular level of pathways involved in diarrhea and constipation, and highlight the respective pharmacotherapies.
Results: The majority of the studies in the current literature investigate the effects of both the small and large intestine receptors on diarrhea and constipation. There are fewer studies that isolate the effects of these receptors solely on the small bowel, and focusing more on the receptors found distinctly in the small intestine may be an area of interest for future studies as this can inspire more targeted therapies.
Keywords: Constipation; Diarrhea; Gastroenterology; Small bowel receptors; Small intestine.