Prucalopride
Also sold as: Motegrity
Related Medications
These drugs share a pharmacologic classification but are NOT interchangeable. Listing here does not imply clinical equivalence. A physician must evaluate each drug individually for the patient's specific condition.
Classification: Serotonin 4 Receptor Agonists (source: RxClass/NLM)
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Drug Information
Mechanism of Action
12.1 Mechanism of Action Prucalopride, a selective serotonin type 4 (5-HT 4 ) receptor agonist, is a gastrointestinal (GI) prokinetic agent that stimulates colonic peristalsis (high-amplitude propagating contractions [HAPCs]), which increases bowel motility. Prucalopride was devoid of effects mediated via 5-HT 2A , 5-HT 2B , 5-HT 3 , motilin or CCK-A receptors in vitro at concentrations exceeding 5-HT 4 receptor affinity by 150-fold or greater. In isolated GI tissues from various animal species, prucalopride facilitated acetylcholine release to enhance the amplitude of contractions and stimulate peristalsis. In rats and dogs, prucalopride stimulated gastrointestinal motility with contractions starting from the proximal colon to the anal sphincter.
Indications & Uses
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Prucalopride tablets are indicated for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults. Prucalopride tablets are a serotonin-4 (5-HT 4 ) receptor agonist indicated for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults. ( 1 )
Dosage & Administration
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Prucalopride tablets can be taken with or without food. The recommended dosage by patient population is shown in Table 1. Table 1: Recommended Dosage Regimen and Dosage Adjustments by Population Population with CIC Recommended Oral Dose Regimen Adults 2 mg once daily Patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance (CrCL) less than 30 mL/min) [ see Use in Specific Populations (8.5, 8.6 ) ] . 1 mg once daily Take with or without food. ( 2 ) Recommended dosage by patient population: Population with CIC Recommended Oral Dose Regimen Adults 2 mg once daily. ( 2 ) Patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance (CrCL) less than 30 mL/min 1 mg once daily. ( 2 , 8.5 , 8.6 )
Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS Most common adverse reactions (≥2%) are headache, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal distension, dizziness, vomiting, flatulence, and fatigue. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Apotex Corp. at 1-800-706-5575 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The data described below represent 2,530 patients (1,251 received prucalopride tablets 2 mg once daily and 1,279 received placebo) with CIC from 6 double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials of 12 weeks to 24 weeks in duration. In these trials overall, patients were primarily female (76%) and white (76%). The mean age was 47 years (range 17 to 95 years) [see Clinical Studies ( 14 )]. Common Adverse Reactions Table 2 below summarizes the incidence (%) of common adverse reactions occurring in at least 2% of patients with CIC receiving either 2 mg of prucalopride tablets once daily or placebo and at an incidence greater than in the placebo group from the six double-blind placebo-controlled trials described above. Table 2: Common Adverse Reactions* in Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials of CIC of at least 12 Weeks Duration Adverse Reaction Prucalopride 2 mg Once Daily N=1,251 † % Placebo N=1,279 % Headache 19 9 Abdominal pain ‡ 16 11 Nausea 14 7 Diarrhea 13 5 Abdominal distension 5 4 Dizziness 4 2 Vomiting 3 2 Flatulence 3 2 Fatigue 2 1 * Reported in ≥2% of patients receiving prucalopride tablets and a rate higher than patients receiving placebo. † Includes 93 patients who started on prucalopride tablets 1 mg and increased to prucalopride tablets 2 mg. ǂ Includes abdominal pain, upper abdominal pain, lower abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, abdominal discomfort, and epigastric discomfort. Less Common Adverse Reactions Less common adverse reactions occurring in <2% of patients receiving prucalopride tablets 2 mg once daily include: Gastrointestinal disorders: Abnormal gastrointestinal sounds Metabolism and nutrition disorders: Decreased appetite Nervous system disorders: Migraine Renal and urinary disorders: Pollakiuria Diarrhea Of the patients who reported diarrhea, 70% (110 out of 157) reported it in the first week of treatment. Diarrhea typically resolved within a few days in 73% (80 out of 110) of those patients. Severe diarrhea was reported in 1.8% of patients treated with prucalopride tablets 2 mg compared to 1% of patients in the placebo group, and had a similar onset and duration as diarrhea overall. Headache Of the patients who reported headache, 66% (157 out of 237) treated with prucalopride tablets 2 mg once daily reported onset in the first 2 days of treatment. Symptoms typically resolved within a few days in 65% (102 out of 157) of those patients. Adverse Reactions Leading to Discontinuation In the 6 clinical trials described above, 5% of patients treated with 2 mg of prucalopride tablets once daily discontinued due to adverse reactions, compared to 3% of patients in the placebo group. The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation were nausea (2% prucalopride, 1% placebo), headache (1% prucalopride, 1% placebo), diarrhea (1% prucalopride, <1% placebo), or abdominal pain (1% prucalopride, 1% placebo). Adverse Reactions of Special Interest Adverse reactions of special interest were evaluated in a pool of 28 completed clinical trials (19 double-blind and 9 open-label) for prucalopride tablets at doses including 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, or 4 mg per day in adult patients with CIC (the recommended dosage of prucalopride tablets for CIC is 2 mg once daily). The total exposure in the double-blind trials was 565 patient-years in the prucalopride group, 384 patient-years in the placebo group, and 2,769 patient-years in the double-blind and open-label clinical trials. Cardiovascular Safety Analysis In an evaluation by an independent adjudication committee of all potential major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke, the standardized incidence rate (IR) per 1,000 patient-years for MACE for prucalopride was compared with the IR for placebo. In the double-blind trials, the IR for MACE was 3.5 (2 patients out of 3,366; 1 patient on 2 mg and 1 patient on 4 mg) in the prucalopride tablets group and 5.2 (2 patients out of 2,019) in the placebo group. When combining the double-blind and open-label trials, the IR for MACE was 3.3 (9 patients out of 4,472, doses ranging between 0.5 to 4 mg) for prucalopride tablets. Suicidal Ideation and Behavior In the double-blind trials, one patient reported a suicide attempt 7 days after the end of treatment with prucalopride tablets 2 mg once daily; none were reported in patients on pl
Contraindications
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Prucalopride tablets are contraindicated in patients with: A history of hypersensitivity to prucalopride tablets. Reactions including dyspnea, rash, pruritus, urticaria, and facial edema have been observed [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.2 )]. Intestinal perforation or obstruction due to structural or functional disorder of the gut wall, obstructive ileus, severe inflammatory conditions of the intestinal tract such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and toxic megacolon/megarectum. Hypersensitivity to prucalopride tablets. ( 4 ) Intestinal perforation or obstruction due to structural or functional disorder of the gut wall, obstructive ileus, severe inflammatory conditions of the intestinal tract such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and toxic megacolon/megarectum. ( 4 )
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Medical Disclaimer: Information on this page is sourced from FDA-approved labeling data and is for educational reference only. It does not constitute medical advice. This information does not establish a provider-patient relationship. Always verify with current prescribing information and consult a licensed healthcare professional before any clinical decision. Read full disclaimer.
Data sourced from RxNorm (NLM/NIH), FDA Orange Book, OpenFDA, DailyMed. Last updated: 2026-03-02.