In the last 20 years considerable progress has been achieved--among others--in motility associated disorders, in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease) and in the treatment and prophylaxis of bleeding from esophageal varices. The motility associated diseases achalasia, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal pseudoobstruction can be better treated now with drugs which either promote or inhibit motility. In chronic-inflammatory bowel diseases controlled studies have defined the role of salazosulfapyridine, 5-aminosalicylic acid, glucocorticoids, azathioprine and metronidazole. The bleeding from esophageal varices is handled nowadays successfully with a combination of mechanical treatment (sclerosing and banding) and lowering the portal pressure by vasoactive substances or the somatostatin analogue octreotide. The prophylaxis of bleeding with noncardioselective betablockers is also introduced on the base of controlled trials.