Influence of a herbal fixed combination preparation on intestinal afferent nerve sensitivity in a pharmacological in vivo model

An important factor in the pathophysiology of functional gastro-intestinal disorders seems to be visceral afferent sensitivity. The clinically proven herbal preparation STW 5 [1] containing 9 different extracts reduces intestinal afferent nerve sensitivity to different mechanical and chemical stimuli [2]. We aimed to determine whether the clinically proven herbal preparation STW 5-N II, containing 6 of the extracts from STW 5, but in a different composition [3], also reduces sensitivity to intestinal afferents. The preparation STW 5-N II or vehicle were administered orally to male Wistar rats (250–350g) at a dos…