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Review
. 2025 Jan 13;17(1):e77370.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.77370. eCollection 2025 Jan.

The Pharmacological and Clinical Roles of Antiemetics: A Narrative Review

Alan D Kaye  1 , Donovan B Turpin  2 , Shivam Shah  3 , Brennan Abbott  2 , Alex V Hollander  2 , Caroline R Burroughs  1 , Sarah H Myers  1 , Shahab Ahmadzadeh  1 , Jibin Mathew  1 , Adam M Kaye  4 , Sahar Shekoohi  1 , Giustino Varrassi  5
Affiliations
Review

The Pharmacological and Clinical Roles of Antiemetics: A Narrative Review

Alan D Kaye et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Emesis (e.g., vomiting and nausea) can be a nebulous condition to treat, as it has many and highly varied etiologies. Understanding the underlying causes of emesis is crucial in selecting the appropriate antiemetic therapy. At present, there are a plethora of medications on the market to treat emesis, known as antiemetics. For the healthcare professionals managing emesis, key concerns include efficacy, the onset of effects, and potential adverse actions of these drugs. The present investigation reviews different classes of antiemetics and specific clinical uses for each based on pharmacological action. In addition, a few emerging treatment options are discussed, including cannabinoids, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and combination formulations such as Diclegis (doxylamine-pyridoxine), prompting avenues for future roles in the management of emesis.

Keywords: antiemetics; chemotherapy; gastroenteritis; motion sickness; nausea; vomiting.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

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