Reduction by cimetropium bromide of the colonic motor response to eating in patients with the irritable bowel syndrome.

Cimetropium bromide is an antimuscarinic compound with antispasmodic properties. Its effect on meal-stimulated sigmoid motor activity in 30 patients with the irritable bowel syndrome, mainly with pain and constipation, has been evaluated. The mechanical activity of the sigmoid colon was recorded with a probe with three open-tipped tubes ending 45, 30, and 15 cm from the anal margin. After a recording period of 60 min, 5 mg cimetropium bromide or saline was given i.v., according to a randomized, double-blind design 5 min before a 1000 calorie meal, and motility was then recorded for 2 h. The meal caused a significant increase in motor activity for 90 min in the saline-treated group. Cimetropium bromide abolished the peak of motor activity 10-20 min after the meal and significantly inhibited postprandial colonic motility for at least 2 h (p less than 0.01). This effect provides a rationale for the use of cimetropium bromide in treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome.