Vomiting, also called emesis, occurs with many types of gastrointestinal disorders and other conditions. Feelings of nausea often precede vomiting, which involves ejecting material from the stomach (called vomit or vomitus) out of the body through the mouth.
In some cases (e.g., bowel obstruction), contents of the intestines also are ejected during vomiting. In addition to normal contents of the digestive system, vomit sometimes also includes blood from the GI tract and bile (fluid secreted by the liver).
Vomiting is a reflex that results from a combination of voluntary and involuntary muscles. First, a valve in the throat (called the glottis) closes to help prevent vomit from entering the windpipe (trachea) and lungs. Then, the muscle that surrounds the opening of the oesophagus into the stomach (called the lower oesophagal or cardiac sphincter) relaxes and the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen) and various abdominal muscles contract in waves (called retching). Retching without producing vomit is called dry vomiting or dry heaves.
Recurrent vomiting may be caused by underlying medical conditions. Frequent vomiting may also lead to dehydration, which can be deadly if left untreated. You can consult a doc. and book your medicine online from your home.
Causes of vomiting
Vomiting is common. Eating too much food or drinking too much alcohol can make a person throw up. This generally isn’t a cause for concern. Vomiting itself is not a condition. It’s a symptom of other conditions. Some of these conditions include:
- food poisoning
- indigestion
- infections (associated with bacterial and viral illnesses)
- motion sickness
- pregnancy-related morning sickness
- headaches
- prescription medications
- anesthesia
- chemotherapy
- Crohn’s disease
Frequent vomiting not related to any of these causes may be a symptom of cyclic vomiting syndrome. This condition is characterized by vomiting for up to 10 days. It is usually coupled with nausea and extreme lack of energy. It mainly occurs during childhood.
For an individual experiencing episodes of nausea and vomiting, finding immediate relief is a top priority. OTC products for the treatment of nausea and vomiting include antihistamines, bismuth subsalicylate, antacids, histamine2 (H2)- receptor antagonists, and phosphorated carbohydrate solution.
OTC products should only be used to prevent or treat the symptoms of mild, occasional, self-treatable episodes of nausea and vomiting. Patients experiencing severe nausea and vomiting should be referred for further medical evaluation. Factors to consider when selecting an OTC product include the age of the patient, whether the patient is pregnant or lactating, other medical conditions, and the patient’s current medication profile.
List of Top 20 Medicines for Vomiting
- Hyoscine
- Dicyclomine
- Promethazine
- Bismuth
- Dimenhydrinate
- Meclizine
- Promethazine thiolate
- Doxylamine
- Pyridoxine/doxylamine
- Diligan
- Pregnidoxin
- Cinnarizine
- Haloperidol
- Prochlorperazine
- Ondansetron
- Metoclopramide
- Scopolamine
- Aprepitant
- Tigan
- Dronabinol
Top 20 Medicines for Vomiting in India (Tablets, Syrups & More)
1. Hyoscine: Cures motion sickness
- Brand name – Buscopan 10mg
- Composition – Hyoscine butyl bromide
- Popularity level – 5
- Hyoscine is an anticholinergic drug that acts by blocking conduction of nerve impulses from vestibular apparatus to vomiting centre.
- Dosage – 0.2 – 0.4mg per day orally.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets costs ₹40.
2. Dicylomine: Cure’s morning sickness and motion sickness
- Brand name – Baragin 20mg
- Composition – Dicyclomine
- Popularity level – 4
- This medicine shows H1 antihistaminic action, thus helps to prevent vomiting.
- Dosage – 10 – 20mg per day, orally.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets costs ₹114.
3. Promethazine: Prevents vomiting
- Brand name – Phenergan 25mg
- Composition – Promethazine hydrochloride
- Popularity level – 7
- Promethazine shows it’s antiemetic action due to its central anticholinergic action.
- Dosage – 6.25 to 12.5 mg per day, before meals.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets cost ₹30.
4. Bismuth: Cure’s vomiting due to the upset stomach
- Brand name – Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol
- Composition – Bismuth Subsalicylate
- Popularity level – 5
- This is an absorbent drug which helps to treat some types of nausea and vomiting, such as from gastroenteritis (stomach flu).
- Price – A pack of 24 caplets of Pepto Bismol cost ₹817.
5. Dimenhydrinate: Cures motion sickness
- Brand name – Gravol, Dramamine
- Composition – Dimenhydrinate 50mg
- Popularity level – 7
- This medicine shows it’s action by acting as an antihistaminic drug.
- Price – Gravol 50mg is supplied in a strip of 10 tablets costing ₹25.
6. Meclizine: Cure’s seasickness and motion sickness
- Brand name – Dramamine Less Drowsy
- Composition – Meclizine hydrochloride 50mg
- Popularity level – 8
- This is also an antihistaminic drug but is longer acting and causes less sedation.
- Price – A pack of 8 tablets costs $16.
7. Promethazine Thiolate: Prevents vomiting
- Brand name – Avomine
- Composition – Promethazine thiolate
- Popularity level – 8
- This drug has central anticholinergic action, thus it has an antiemetic effect. This salt of promethazine is less sedative and has a longer duration of action.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets cost ₹40.
8. Doxylamine: Prevents vomiting
- Brand name – Doxinate, Gravidox
- Composition – Doxylamine
- Popularity level – 6
- Doxylamine is a sedative H1 antihistaminic drug with anticholinergic action.
- Price – A pack of 30 tablets of Doxinate costs ₹156.
9. Pyridoxine/doxylamine: Cures morning sickness
- Brand name – Diclectin, Nosic
- Composition – Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) and Doxylamine succinate
- This combination medicine acts by its anticholinergic action on the brain. It is generally used to prevent morning sickness in pregnant women.
- Price – A pack of 30 tablets of Nosic costs ₹133.
10. Diligan: Prevents vomiting
- Brand name – Diligan 25mg
- Composition – Miclozine and nicotinic acid
- Popularity level – 6.5
- This combination medicine has less sedative action than Miclozine alone.
- Price – A pack of 15 tablets costs ₹130.
11. Pregnidoxin: Prevents vomiting
- Brand name – Pregnidoxin
- Composition – Miclozine and caffeine
- Popularity level – 7
- This combination medicine has less sedative action than Miclozine alone.
- Price – A pack of 15 tab costs ₹45.
12. Cinnarizine: Prevents motion sickness
- Brand name – Stugeron
- Composition – Cinnarizine 25mg
- Popularity level – 9
- This is an antivertigo drug that acts by inhibiting the influx of calcium into vestibular sensory cells.
- Price – A pack of 25 tablets costs ₹168.
13. Haloperidol: Cures severe vomiting
- Brand name – Haldol 5mg
- Composition – Haloperidol
- Popularity level – 7
- This is a potent antiemetic drug that acts by blocking D2 receptors in CZS. This is a prescription medicine used for treating post operation nausea and vomiting, drug-induced vomiting, disease induced vomiting, vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy and serve cases of morning sickness. This drug causes sedation as a side effect.
- It can be given i.m. or oral.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets cost ₹25.
14. Prochlorperazine: Cures vertigo associated vomiting
- Brand name – Vomitil, Stemetil
- Composition – Prochlorperazine
- Popularity level – 6
- This is a potent antiemetic drug that acts by blocking D2 receptors in CZS. This is a prescription medicine used for treating vertigo associated vomiting. This drug causes sedation as a side effect.
- Dosage – 5 – 10 mg twice or thrice a day, orally / 12.5 – 25mg per day by i.m injection.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets of Vomitil costs ₹8.
15. Ondansetron: Cures severe vomiting
- Brand name – Zofran
- Composition – Ondansetron
- Popularity level – 8
- Ondansetron blocks the action of chemicals (serotonin) in the body that can trigger nausea and vomiting. It is generally used for treating chemotherapy-induced vomiting and postoperative nausea and vomiting.
- Price – The price range for Zofran 4 mg is $3.17 – $23.20 per pill or unit.
16. Metoclopramide: Cures severe vomiting
- Brand name – Reglan, Metozolv
- Composition – Metoclopramide
- Popularity level – 6
- Metoclopramide is an antiemetic which is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It works by blocking the action of a chemical substance that causes nausea and vomiting.
- Price – A pack of 10 tablets of Reglan costs ₹24.
17. Scopolamine: Cures chronic vomiting
- Brand name – Transderm Scop
- Composition – Scopolamine
- Popularity level – 3
- Transderm Scop (transdermal scopolamine) is an anticholinergic drug patch applied to the skin used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness or from anesthesia given during surgery.
- Do not use Transderm Scop patch if you have an eye problem called angle closure glaucoma.
- Do not drive or operate heavy machinery after applying the patch.
- Do not drink alcohol while using this patch.
- Price – The cost for Transderm-Scop transdermal film, extended release 1.5 mg is around $31 for a supply of 1 film.
18. Aprepitant: Prevents vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy
- Brand name – Aprecap
- Composition – Aprepitant
- Popularity level – 3
- Aprepitant is a selective high-affinity antagonist at human substance P neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptors.
- Dosage – The recommended dose is 125 mg orally once daily one hour before the start of chemotherapy on Day 1 and 80 mg orally once daily on Days 2 and 3 in the morning.
- It is used in the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with highly and moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy in adults and adolescents from the age of 12.
- Price – A pack of 3 capsules costs ₹700.
19. Tigan: Cures postoperative vomiting
- Brand name – Tigan
- Composition – Trimethobenzamide hydrochloride
- Trimethobenzamide is an antagonist of the D2 receptor. It is believed to affect the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) of the medulla oblongata to suppress nausea and vomiting.
- Tigan is indicated in adults for the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting and for nausea associated with gastroenteritis.
- Dosage – The recommended adult dosage is 300 mg orally three or four times daily.
- Tigan is not recommended for use in pediatric patients.
- Dosage – 100 mg/mL
- Price – A bottle of 50 ml of the medicine costs $20.29
20. Dronabinol: Cures vomiting caused by chemotherapy when other treatments aren’t effective
- Brand name – Marinol
- Composition – Dronabinol
- Popularity level – 2
- Marinol is in a class of medications called cannabinoids, which impact the central nervous system. Dronabinol, the active ingredient in Marinol, is synthetic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana. Dronabinol affects the area of the brain responsible for appetite, nausea, and vomiting.
- Dronabinol may be habit-forming. It’s important to take this medication exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Don’t take more than you should at one time or take it more often than prescribed. Take Marinol with caution if you have a history of substance abuse.
- Price -The cost for Marinol oral capsule 2.5 mg is around $692 for a supply of 60 capsules.