United States / USD Country & Currency
Country
United States
Currency
US Dollars
Save
Country
Australia
Gibraltar
Hong Kong
Malta
Northern Ireland
Puerto Rico
Scotland
Singapore
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Currency
US Dollars
GB Pounds
AU Dollars
Euro
Explore our range Categories
Ask us a question 877-756-4701
ATTENTION: US CUSTOMERS

Please be advised that there are currently significant Customs Processing Delays at JFK, NY and Newark, NJ ports of entry.

Please understand that these delays are outside our control—We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience encountered. Please consider ordering in advance to allow for longer than usual delays.

Shipping delays due to Covid-19 Virus

Please fill the form to receive updates when we can ship your order.

Stomach / Intestines

Our Stomach class of Digestive medications are used to treat disorders of the stomach, oesophagus and small intestine (upper GI tract) like nausea, reflux and peptic ulcers(stomach and duodenal ulcers); also gastroparesis, which is delayed emptying of the stomach.

Use the search feature to quickly find the product you are looking for, by entering either the active ingredient, e.g. hyoscine or the product name, e.g. Buscopan.

Peptic ulcers and reflux

Gastric acid is needed for digestion of food. Gastric reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is when the acidic contents of the stomach flow back into the oesophagus causing heartburn (a burning feeling from the stomach towards the neck) and dyspepsia (indigestion and abdominal pain). Reflux disease, as this condition is commonly known, is usually due to damage or loss of normal function of the sphincter muscle at the junction of the oesophagus and stomach that normally acts as a one-way valve and prevents backflow of stomach contents. Reflux can also damage the oesophagus causing oesophagitis or inflammation of the oesophagus.

Peptic ulcers are damage to the stomach lining (gastric ulcers) or the lining of the upper intestine (duodenal ulcers) and are caused by excess gastric acid production due to use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) or by infection of the stomach with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

Medications used to treat reflux and ulcers are based on reducing the amount of gastric acid produced and released into the stomach, and fall into two categories:
  • Proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, esomeprazole, rabeprazole and lansoprazole, which block the enzyme involved in producing gastric acid by stomach lining cells.
  • H2-receptor antagonists like ranitidine, which block the gastric H2-receptor preventing the normal stimulation by histamine of gastric acid production.

Ulcer protection

Another treatment for peptic ulcers is using a cytoprotectant like sucralfate that forms a protective barrier over the ulcer from the damaging effects of gastric acid and digestive enzymes.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is when the stomach muscles do not work properly causing a partial paralysis of the stomach and delayed emptying of the contents. The result is that food stays too long in the stomach before emptying into the small intestine and this can put extra pressure on the esophageal sphincter. Gastroparesis is usually due to nerve damage and can be treated using a serotonin (5HT) receptor agonist like cisapride. This action stimulates stomach muscle contraction so that food can be moved out into the small intestine.

Stomach muscle spasm

Muscle spasm in the stomach can be caused by a variety of GI disorders, including peptic ulcers, reflux disease, infection or food intolerance. Muscle spasm can be treated symptomatically using an antispasmodics medication like propantheline that works as an anticholinergic by blocking the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine that is involved in regulating intestinal smooth muscle contraction. This action allows the smooth muscle to relax, reducing muscle spasm.

Nausea

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of several different conditions, including, gastrointestinal disorders, migraine, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer treatment, reaction to surgical anaesthetic and dysmobility, which is when the intestinal or stomach muscles do not work efficiently and movement of food through the GI tract slows down. The vomiting reflex originates in the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) of the area postrema of the brain sending nerve messages to the vomiting centre of the brain. Medications used to relieve nausea and vomiting include two types of antiemetic:
  • Serotonin receptor-antagonists like ondansetron that work by binding to specific 5HT3 receptors in the intestine and in the CTZ and block the transmission of nerve messages from the intestines and from the CTZ to the vomiting centre in the brain, which prevents the vomiting reflex from being triggered.
  • Dopamine antagonist like domperidone and metoclopramide that work by binding to dopamine receptors in the CTZ blocking the transmission of nerve messages to the vomiting centre in the brain, which prevents the vomiting reflex from being triggered. They also have gastrokinetic action by interacting with nervous control of muscle contraction in the stomach and upper intestine, which helps relieve symptoms of dysmobility (when food processing slows down) and this also helps prevent vomiting.


Read more
 

This website uses cookies. View our policy and select your preferences here