Colonic peristalsis during colonoscopy can conceal neoplastic lesions, and antispasmodic agents can cause adverse reactions. Inoue et al. report the benefits of applying the antiperistaltic compound L-menthol to the colonic mucosa prior to colonoscopy. Patients were treated with 1.6% L-menthol or placebo—neither had any adverse effects. The proportion of patients with no peristalsis after treatment and the adenoma detection rate were both significantly higher in the L-menthol group than the placebo group.
References
Inoue, K. et al. L-menthol improves adenoma detection rate during colonoscopy: a randomized trial. Endoscopy 10.1055/s-0034-1365035
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L-menthol pauses peristalsis and aids adenoma detection. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 11, 268 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2014.55
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2014.55