AGONIST EFFECT OF ERYTHROMYCIN AND ITS ANALOGS ON MOTILIN RECEPTORS -A NEW FAMILY OF PROKINETICS - CLINICAL INTEREST

It has been known since long that erythromycin may cause unpleasant ga stro-intestinal side-effects such as nausea and vomiting. Recent studi es however show that at low doses erythromycin may have a beneficial e ffect. Erythromycin induces the migrating motor complex in the fasted state and after a meal it accelerates gastric emptying. Although large ly preliminary, its effects on esophageal, small intestinal, colonic a nd biliary tract motility have now been studied in several pathologica l conditions. Erythromycin is certainly a powerful gastrokinetic. Its antibiotic properties are a disadvantage, but more powerful derivative s devoid of antibacterial properties may soon become available. They f orm a new family of prokinetics.