Domperidone is a specific blocker of dopamine receptors. It speeds gastrointestinal peristalsis, causes prolactin release, and is used as antiemetic and tool in the study of dopaminergic mechanisms.

Pharmacodynamics

Domperidone is a specific blocker of dopamine receptors. It speeds gastrointestinal peristalsis, causes prolactin release, and is used as antiemetic and tool in the study of dopaminergic mechanisms.

Uses

Domperidone is a kind of potent peripheral dopamine receptor antagonist with anti-vomiting and gastro-kinetic effects. It can affect the gastrointestinal motility to make the motility and tension of upper gastrointestinal tract return to normal and promote gastric emptying, enhancing the antral and duodenal motility, and coordinating the pyloric contraction. It can be used for the treatment of dyspepsia, and the nausea and vomiting induced by functional, organic, infection, dietary, radiation therapy or drug therapy. Because it almost has no inhibitory effect on dopamine receptor, there are no psychiatric and neurological side effects. And it can be used for treating the nausea caused by treating the Parkinson’s disease through taking dopamine agonists.

It can be also used as anticholinergic antispasmodics.

Side effects

Side effects associated with domperidone include dry mouth, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, rash, itching, hives, and hyperprolactinemia (the symptoms of which may include breast enlargement, galactorrhea, breast pain/tenderness, gynecomastia, hypogonadism, and menstrual irregularities).

Due to blockade of D2 receptors in the central nervous system, D2 receptor antagonists like metoclopramide can also produce a variety of additional side effects including drowsiness, akathisia, restlessness, insomnia, lassitude, fatigue, extrapyramidal symptoms, dystonia, Parkinsonian symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, and depression.However, this is not the case with domperidone, because, unlike other D2 receptor antagonists, it minimally crosses the blood-brain-barrier, and for this reason, is rarely associated with such side effects.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it.

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they become worse, check with your doctor.