AIM: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and nitric oxide (NO)in the modulation of electroacupucture (EA) on gastric motility in restrained-cold stressed rats.METHODS: An animal model of gastric motility disorder was established by restrained-cold stress. Gastric myoelectric activities were recorded by electrogastroent erography (EGG). VIP and NO concentrations in plasma and gastric mucosal and bulb tissues were detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA). VIP expression in the gastric wails was assayed using avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) and image analysis.RESULTS: In cold restrained stressed rats, EGG was disordered and irregular. The frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were higher than that in control group (P＜ 0.01). VIP and NO contents of plasma, gastric mucosal and bulb tissues were obviously decreased (P ＜ 0.01).Following EA at "Zusanli" (ST36), the frequency and amplitude of gastric motility were obviously lowered (P ＜0.01), while the levels of VIP and NO in plasma, gastric mucosal and bulb tissues increased strikingly (P ＜ 0.01,P ＜ 0.05) and expression of VIP in antral smooth muscle was elevated significantly (P ＜ 0.01) in comparison with those of model group.CONCLUSION: VIP and NO participate in the modulatory effect of EA on gastric motility. EA at "Zusanli"acupoint (ST36) can improve gastric motility of the stressed rats by increasing the levels of VIP and NO.