Inventors:
Kevin P. Hurley - Chapel Hill NC, US
Jonathan S. Stamler - Chapel Hill NC, US
John Baillie - Durham NC, US
James D. Reynolds - Durham NC, US
Stephen O. Vaughan - Chapel Hill NC, US
Assignee:
Duke University - Durham NC
International Classification:
A01N 43/00, A61K 31/33
Abstract:
The present invention provides compositions comprising a gas and a gastrointestinal smooth muscle relaxing agent comprising ethyl nitrite in a therapeutically effective amount. The present invention also provides methods of relaxing gastrointestinal smooth muscle, alleviating contraction or spasm of gastrointestinal smooth muscle to facilitate a diagnostic medical procedure and treating or preventing a gastrointestinal disorder using the compositions of the invention.