Antiemetic agents potency

In general, ketones, alcohols and ethers of formula (3) showed comparable protection against cisplatin-induced emesis in the dog and ferret with that of metoclopramide. Erythro (cis) alcohols (3c, 3g, 3i) were found to be more potent than the corresponding threo-(trans) isomers (3d, 3h, 3j). Optical isomer (.R) (3e) was found to be somewhat more potent than its (S )-enantiomer (3f) as an antagonist of cisplatin-induced emesis in the ferret. In the dog, both isomers showed similar activity. A number of heterocyclic analogues were also studied but with the exception of (3k), all were inferior in potency as antiemetic agents compared with other compounds (3) shown in Table 7.1. Lead compound, BMY 25801, batanopride, (3a) is presently under clinical investigation. 

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