**4. Alterations in motility and water absorption/secretion**

As previously mentioned, small intestine is both an absorptive and secretory organ, and most of the water and electrolyte handling in the GI tract is regulated at this level by autonomic nerve system as well as by neuromuscular signal pathways [10]. A number of drugs may alter one or several of the mechanisms associated with normal GI motility and/or water and electrolyte secretion including laxatives, motilin analog antibiotics, enterokinetic drugs, secretagogues, colchicine, and prostaglandin analogs.
