How do antispasmodics work?
Your gut is partially controlled by an extensive network of neurons (cells of the nervous system). These help to regulate the motility (movement) of the gut. The neurons work by controlling smooth muscle which is present in the walls of the gut. It is this muscle which is responsible for gut movements. The neurons are stimulated by various different chemicals produced by your body. These chemicals work by binding to special receptors (docking sites) on the muscle surface, which causes either relaxation or contraction of the smooth muscle. Contractions of the smooth muscle cause food in the gut to be moved further along the gut. However, in conditions such as IBS these contractions can occur too frequently or be painful, causing some of the symptoms experienced. Antimuscarinics work by blocking muscarinic receptors. These are a class of receptors found in the gut which cause muscle contraction as described above. Blocking the receptors reduces the amount of contractions and should help
