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

AIM: To study the effect of pretreatment with different antiemetic drugs on the motion sickness-induced inhibition in gastric emptying. METHODS: The rats were rotated for a period of 45 min at the rate of 30 rotations per min. RESULTS: Rotating the rats caused a significant decrease in gastric emptying as compared to the non-rotated group. Pretreatment with scopolamine (5 mg/kg, ip) did not reverse the delay in gastric emptying, while it per se caused inhibition of gastric emptying in the non-rotated group. Similarly other drugs mepyramine, cisapride, and granisetron did not have any effect on delay in gastric emptying caused by rotation. However beta blocker propranolol could partially but significantly reverse the decrease in gastric emptying. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated the potential use of propranolol as adjuvant with conventional antiemetics for motion sickness to combat associated secondary symptoms.