Electroacupuncture reduces morphine-induced emesis in ferrets: a pilot study

We treated morphine-induced emesis in ferrets with electroacupuncture (EA) for five minutes at the acupuncture point Neiguan (P6) using two different frequencies of stimulation: 1.0 Hz and 5.0 Hz (n = 5 ferrets per group). Both EA treatments reduced the number of emetic episodes (39% reduction of episodes, p < or = 0.05 at 1.0 Hz; 43% reduction of episodes, p < or = 0.05 at 5.0 Hz) and prolonged the onset time of emesis as compared with control receiving no EA. This model demonstrates that under these conditions EA is effective as an antiemetic against morphine in the ferret and may allow for further studies on the mechanisms of acupuncture and emesis.