The hungry stomach: physiology, disease, and drug development opportunities.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of physiological mechanisms and pharmacological targets with no primary empirical data.
PubMed 21927604 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2010.00145
What was done
This narrative review synthesized the physiological regulation of hunger-related gastrointestinal motility, focusing on phase III contractions of the migrating motor complex (MMC). It discussed the roles of motilin and products of the ghrelin-precursor gene (ghrelin, des-acyl-ghrelin, and obestatin) and outlined drug discovery opportunities targeting these pathways.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical or quantitative findings. It describes motilin as a key mediator of gastric phase III MMC contractions and notes that des-acyl-ghrelin and obestatin appear to oppose ghrelin actions through unidentified receptors. It also highlights that agonists targeting motilin and ghrelin receptors are the most advanced therapeutic candidates being investigated for gastric hypomotility disorders.
Why it matters
It provides a mechanistic overview connecting gastrointestinal hormone signaling to hunger physiology, highlighting targets for developing drugs to treat gastric hypomotility and eating disorders.
Limits
The abstract contains no primary experimental or clinical data, no quantitative metrics, and no systematic search methodology. Details regarding specific drug compounds, safety, and clinical outcomes were not reported.
Cited by
- contradicts Between meals, a peristaltic cleansing wave moves through the colon, and eating stops this wave.