“Chemotherapy patients report not only acute nausea and vomiting during the treatment itself, but also report anticipatory nausea and vomiting upon re-exposure to the cues associated with the treatment.
We present a model of anticipatory nausea based on the emetic reactions of the Suncus murinus (musk shrew). Following three pairings of a novel distinctive contextual cue with the emetic effects of an injection of lithium chloride, the context acquired the potential to elicit conditioned retching in the absence of the toxin.
The expression of this conditioned retching reaction was completely suppressed by pretreatment with each of the principal cannabinoids found in marijuana, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabidiol, at a dose that did not suppress general activity.
These results support anecdotal claims that marijuana, but not ondansetron, may suppress the expression of anticipatory nausea.”