METHODS FOR ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF DRUGS ON GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS AND HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

The gastrointestinal tract is a complex organ with many functions. Man y diseases affect the way in which the gastrointestinal tract performs these functions. The pharmaceutical industry and academia are putting great effort into the development of treatments for these diseases. A s a consequence, there is increasing pressure on the clinical pharmaco logist and gastroenterologist to develop methods to measure the effect s of drugs on the gastrointestinal tract. This article reviews the met hods currently available to assess gastrointestinal function; in parti cular it focuses on motility and sensitivity.