Gas bubbles at gas–liquid interfaces in the gastrointestinal tract

Gas bubbles at gas–liquid interfaces in the gastrointestinal tract represent a physical therapeutic target rather than a traditional biological macromolecule. These bubbles are formed through a combination of aerophagia (swallowed air), chemical reactions during digestion, and bacterial fermentation in the colon (NIH/NIDDK, 2023). When these gases become trapped within the mucus or liquid of the digestive tract, they form a stable foam that can lead to clinical symptoms such as bloating, distension, and abdominal pain (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Therapeutic intervention typically involves the use of surfactant-active agents like simethicone, which act directly on the surface of these bubbles (StatPearls, 2023). By reducing the surface tension at the gas-liquid interface, these agents cause small, trapped bubbles to collapse and coalesce into larger volumes of free gas, which can then be eliminated more efficiently via belching or flatulence (PubChem, 2024).

Other names

Intestinal gas bubblesGastrointestinal foamGI gasIntestinal gas

Reduction of surface tension at the gas-liquid interface, leading to the coalescence of small gas bubbles into larger ones that are more easily expelled (StatPearls, 2023; PubChem, 2024).