Effect of antiemetic drugs on decrease in gastric emptying in experimental model of motion sickness in rats

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Gastroenterology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Motion sickness is a common condition that can cause nausea and vomiting.
• Gastric emptying is often inhibited during motion sickness.
• Current antiemetic drugs do not always fully address the gastrointestinal symptoms of motion sickness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of various antiemetic drugs in mitigating motion sickness-induced inhibition of gastric emptying in a rat model.
• To explore potential therapeutic strategies for managing secondary gastrointestinal symptoms associated with motion sickness.

Main Methods:

• Rats were subjected to rotational stimuli for 45 minutes at 30 rotations per minute to induce motion sickness.
• Gastric emptying was assessed in rotated and non-rotated control groups.
• Rats were pretreated with different antiemetic drugs, including scopolamine, mepyramine, cisapride, granisetron, and propranolol, before rotation.

Main Results:

• Rotational stimulation significantly decreased gastric emptying compared to controls.
• Scopolamine, mepyramine, cisapride, and granisetron did not reverse the rotational effect on gastric emptying.
• Scopolamine alone inhibited gastric emptying in non-rotated rats.
• Propranolol, a beta-blocker, significantly and partially reversed the decrease in gastric emptying induced by rotation.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights the limited efficacy of common antiemetics in addressing motion sickness-related gastric stasis.
• Propranolol demonstrated a potential role in ameliorating delayed gastric emptying during motion sickness.
• Propranolol may serve as a valuable adjuvant therapy when combined with conventional antiemetics to manage associated secondary symptoms of motion sickness.