How can we develop better antispasmodics for irritable bowel syndrome

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent gastrointestinal (GI) disease. Antispasmodics are a heterogeneous group of drugs that tackle IBS-associated altered bowel habit and abdominal pain. However, some studies have shown their failure to exhibit benefit over placebo. Considering the place of antispasmodics in managing key symptoms of IBS, there is a growing need for developing more efficacious and safe antispasmodics.Areas covered: The authors discuss the role of rational drug design (RDD) in developing new antispasmodics with desired features. Furthermore, they review the potential pharmacological targets and herbal medicines with spasmolytic activity. In addition, the authors present the recent findings concerning novel mechanisms involved in GI motility modulation as well as the potential antispasmodic role of drugs used in other conditions.Expert opinion: To develop better antispasmodics, it will be essential to gain a deeper insight into the underlying mechanisms involved ...