Mechanism of peruvoside-induced emesis

Peruvoside causes emesis in dogs and cats by oral or intravenous routes. There is no species difference and effective emetic doses in either species did not differ significantly. Decerebrate cats vomit after intravenous administration of peruvoside. Intraventricular or intracistemal administration of the drug does not cause emesis but a typical “digitalis toxicity syndrome” is seen. The ablation of the chemoreceptor trigger zone fails to eliminate peruvosideinduced emesis, but nodose ganglionectomy eliminates this response. Intracarotid injections of the drug considerably reduce the threshold latency in eliciting emesis. We conclude that peruvoside stimulates receptors in the nodose ganglion to produce emesis.