Effect of intranasal sumatriptan on gastric tone and sensitivity to distension

Sumatriptan is able to improve symptoms of early satiety in dyspeptic patie nts by relaxing the gastric fundus. The aim of this study was to verify the efficacy of intranasal administration of sumatriptan on gastric sensory mo tor function, in order to provide a new pharmacotherapeutic approach to fun ctional dyspepsia. Thirteen healthy subjects were investigated twice on sep arate days. A gastric barostat was used to study the effect of placebo and sumatriptan, 20 mg intranasally, on basal fundic tone. In addition, stepwis e isobaric distensions were performed and perception was measured before an d after administration of drugs. Placebo had no effect on gastric tone and on perception. Sumatriptan caused a small, but short-lasting gastric relaxa tion and had no significant effect on sensitivity to distension and gastric compliance. Unlike the subcutaneous formulation, the intranasal administra tion of sumatriptan had no effect on gastric sensory motor functions, and t his probably reflects a low biovailability of intranasally administered sum atriptan.