We investigated the effect of
FK1052 [(+)-8,9-dihydro-10-methyl-7-[(5-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)methyl]pyrido[1,2-a]indol-6(7H)-one hydrochloride], a 5-HT3- and 5-HT4-receptor antagonist, on the
emesis induced by motion stimuli,
copper sulfate, or
cisplatin in either Suncus murinus or ferrets and also clarified the role of the 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors in these models. In Suncus murinus,
oral administration of
FK1052 (100 microg/kg) completely prevented
emesis induced by
cisplatin (18 mg/kg, i.p.).
Intraperitoneal injection of
scopolamine (10 mg/kg) and
promethazine (32 mg/kg), but not
FK1052 (1 mg/kg), significantly reduced the
emetic responses by motion stimuli. In ferrets,
copper sulfate (40 mg/kg, p.o.)-induced
emesis was moderately prevented by
FK1052 (3.2 mg/kg), but not by
granisetron (3.2 mg/kg).
Cisplatin-induced acute (10 mg/kg, i.v.) and delayed (5 mg/kg, i.p.)
emesis were significantly reduced by single and multiple
intravenous injection of both
FK1052 (3.2 mg/kg) and
granisetron (3.2 mg/kg), respectively. The present study suggests that
FK1052 may be useful against both acute and delayed
emesis induced by
cancer chemotherapy. Moreover, it is suggested that blockades of 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors are not relevant to the control of
motion sickness; and furthermore, it suggested that blocking 5-HT4 receptors in addition to 5-HT3 receptors does not have an additional effect on the control of
cisplatin-induced
emesis, but that 5-HT4 receptors are at least partly involved in the mechanism of
emesis induced by
copper sulfate.