The special patterns of the slow wave activity in irrittable bowel syndrome by means of surface electromyography were examined and the effect of pinaverium bromide on the symptoms and on the colonic motility in this disease was estimated. Twenty two patients with irritable bowel syndrome and 7 healthy controls were selected to the study. The clinical symptoms were abdominal pain and bloating in all patients, constipation in 9, and diarrhoea in 6 cases. Surface electromyography was carried out before and on the 14th day of the treatment with pinaverium bromide (50 mg t. i. d). The colonic motility was analysed in a 2 hour fasting and a 2 hour postprandial period following a standard (800 kCal) meal. The slow wave frequency of 0.01-0.04 Hz were selected and analysed. The mean frequency of activity peaks (n/10 min) and power-index (area under curve, microV 10 min) were measured. For statistical analysis Student's t-test was applied. Electromyogram of patients with irritable bowel syndrome showed a significant increase of the measured colonic motility parameters both in fasting and postprandial states. Fourteen days of pinaverium bromide treatment was able to significantly reduce the intensity of the colonic motor activity. Administration of pinaverium bromide completely released in 6 and significantly improved the abdominal pain in other 12 patients, while the bloating disappeared in 12 and was significantly improved in 5 from 22 patients. Pinaverium bromide was able to normalise the stool frequency: the weekly number of stools was decreased from 16 to 7 in the patients complaining diarrhoea ant it was increased from 2 to 6 in the patients with constipation.