Metoclopramide
- Mechanism
- D2 antagonist, serotonin receptor antagonist
- Central antiemetic effect at the area postrema
- Peripheral antiemetic effect in the gastrointestinal tract (prokinetic effect); causes increase in:
- Gastric contractions
- Duodenal and jejunal motility
- Resting tone of the lower esophageal sphincter
- Together with decreased pylorus sphincter activity allows food to pass more quickly through the stomach and the small intestine
- No influence on colon motility
- Clinical use
- Prokinetic effect used to treat diabetic and postsurgery gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying)
- Hyperemesis gravidarum
- Persistent GERD