Buspirone blocks motion sickness and xylazine-induced emesis in the cat

Cats were tested for motion sickness following s.c. pretreatment with four doses of buspirone. Buspirone blocked motion sickness with an ED50 of 0.46 mg . kg-1 base. Buspirone pretreatment (4.0 mg . kg-1 base) also significantly blocked vomiting in cats later injected with 0.66 mg . kg-1 (base) s.c. of the emetic drug xylazine. The results are interpreted as showing that buspirone is acting at the vomiting center, the point of convergence for the separate mechanisms subserving chemically-induced emesis and motion sickness.