enteric

Enteric is an adjective that relates to the intestines, especially the small intestine, and to processes, structures, or diseases that involve the gastrointestinal tract. In medical and scientific usage, the term often precedes terms referring to anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and pharmacology related to the gut.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a large division of the autonomic nervous system that governs gastrointestinal function. It contains the myenteric (Auerbach) plexus, which coordinates motility, and the submucosal (Meissner) plexus, which regulates secretion and local blood flow. The ENS can operate independently of the brain and spinal cord, though it communicates with the central nervous system via the gut-brain axis.

The term also relates to the gut microbiota, the community of microorganisms that inhabit the intestinal tract. Enteric microbes participate in digestion, synthesize vitamins, and shape immune development. Changes in the composition or function of this microbiota—dysbiosis—are associated with gastroenterological and systemic conditions.

Enteric infections are diseases caused by pathogens that inhabit the gut. Common enteric pathogens include Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and pathogenic Escherichia coli, as well as noroviruses. Enteric fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhi and Paratyphi, is a systemic illness that begins with gut-related symptoms.

In pharmacology, an enteric coating is a polymer barrier applied to oral medications to resist dissolution in the stomach. It protects acid-labile drugs and reduces gastric irritation by releasing the drug in the more neutral environment of the small intestine.