Emetic effects of anticancer drugs and involvement of visceral afferent fibers and 5-HT3 receptors in dogs.

The emetic effects of five anticancer drugs, cyclophosphamide, nitrogen mustard-N-oxide, actinomycin D, 5-fluorouracil and L-asparaginase, and the effects of bilateral abdominal vagotomy and bilateral greater splanchnic nerve section or a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist on the emesis induced by these drugs were investigated in dogs. Cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg, i.v.), nitrogen mustard-N-oxide (5 mg/kg, i.v.) and actinomycin D (50 micrograms/kg, i.v.) caused vomiting in dogs with a long latency period. 5-Fluorouracil (5 mg/kg, i.v.) and L-asparaginase (2000 K.U./kg, i.v.) failed to induce vomiting. Bilateral abdominal vagotomy and bilateral greater splanchnic nerve section completely inhibited the vomiting induced by the former three anticancer drugs. Furthermore, the vomiting was inhibited completely by intravenous administration of ICS205930 (2 x 0.1 mg/kg), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. These results suggest that activation of visceral afferents through 5-HT3 receptors mediates the vomiting induced by cyclophosphamide, nitrogen mustard-N-oxide and actinomycin D.