Functional constipation

manifesting as infrequent bowel movements

hard or lumpy stools

is a disorder of colonic motility and slow transit function

as well as poor intestinal fluid secretion or over absorption. Short- and long-term clinical trials had been carried out to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a selective 5-HT

4

receptor agonist prucalopride

a chloride channel-2 activator lubiprostone

and a synthetic guanylate cyclase C agonist linaclotide on chronic constipation patients with infrequent bowel movements. These novel pharmacologic agents offered alternative options for the therapy of slow transit constipation when the patients got no satisfactory relief for their constipation symptoms from conventional laxatives.