Serotonin and gastrointestinal system

Abstract

Eighty percentage of serotonin in the body is found in enterochromaffin cells (EC) of gastrointestinal system (GIS). Serotonin plays an important role in regulating GIS functions as a constituent of nonadrenergic-non cholinergic (NANC) system. There are many types of serotonergic receptors in GIS and many drugs affecting these receptors are clinically used as an antiemetic or prokinetic drugs. The effects of serotonin on the gastrointestinal system and classification of 5-HT receptors, as well as their putative role in regulating the functions in the GIS will be briefly discussed in this paper.