Emesis induced by cancer chemotherapeutic agents in the Suncus murinus: a new experimental model.

Acute emetic responses to seven cancer chemotherapeutic agents (adriamycin, bleomycin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, mitomycin C) were studied in the Suncus murinus. Intravenous injection of the drugs caused vomiting with various latency. Cisplatin-induced emesis was prevented by the pretreatment with metoclopramide or chlorpromazine but not with domperidone. These results indicate that the Suncus murinus is a useful animal for testing emetic activities of cancer chemotherapeutics and antiemetic activities of prophylactic drugs.