Treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal disease using antagonists or partial agonists of 5HT1a receptors

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for preventing and treating gastrointestinal diseases such as dyspepsia, irritable bowel disease and chemotherapy associated nausea by administering an antagonist or partial agonist of 5HT1A receptors.

1 . A method for preventing and treating gastrointestinal disease by means of administration of an effective amount of an antagonist or partial agonist of 5HT1a receptors.  
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  employing an effective amount of the racemic substance RS pindolol or a salt thereof.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  employing an effective amount of one of the enantiomers, S (−) pindolol of  claim 2  or a salt thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  in which effective amounts of RS-pindolol or S(−) pindolol or their salts are administered in a pharmaceutical dosage form that permits rapid release of the active substances.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  in which effective amounts of RS pindolol or S(−) pindolol or their salts are administered in a pharmaceutical dosage form that releases the active substances in a slow or controlled fashion that in turn permits administration of the active substances at lesser frequency than in  claim 4 .  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1  in which the gastrointestinal diseases are characterised as non-ulcerative dyspepsia or irritable bowel syndrome or chemotherapy-associated disorders of motility, including nausea.