Metoclopramide (1) is a gastric motility stimulant and a weak dopamine and 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. Conformational restriction of the (diethylamino)ethyl side chain of 1 in the form of the azabicyclic tropane gave 3, a very potent gastric motility stimulant and 5-HT3 receptor antagonist but devoid of significant dopamine receptor antagonist properties. Subsequent alteration of the aromatic nucleus led to the identification of indazoles 6a-h, and 1- and 3-indolizines 7b-d and 8, and imidazo[1,5-alpha]pyridines 9 and 10, as potent 5-HT3 receptor antagonists devoid of either dopamine antagonist or gastric motility stimulatory properties. Further conformational restriction of the side chain identified quinuclidine 11 and isoquinuclidine 12 as potent 5-HT3 receptor antagonists which mimic the distorted chair conformation of the tropane with, in the case of 11, the N-methyl group axial. From these series, 6g (BRL 43694) was found to be both potent and selective and has been shown to be a very effective antiemetic agent against cytotoxic drug induced emesis both in the ferret and in man.
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Bermúdez et al. (1990) studied this question.