Modification of the response to opioid and nonopioid drugs by chronic opioid antagonist treatment. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Chronic exposure to opioid antagonists increases the analgesic actions of opioids such as morphine. In the present studies, morphine's analgesic potency was increased (supersensitivity) following an 8 day subcutaneous naltrexone implant in mice, but not following a 1 day implant. Supersensitivity was maximal 24hr following the 8 day implant and declined linearly and had returned to control levels by 120hr. Implantation of naltrexone pellets for 8 days was found to increase the relative analgesic potency of methadone by 120%, while the lethal potency of cocaine was slightly (19%), but significantly, decreased. In contrast, identical treatment did not alter the potency of the benzodiazepine alprazolam to induce ataxia.

publication date

  • January 1, 1988

Research

keywords

  • Naloxone
  • Narcotics

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0023909389

PubMed ID

  • 3362035

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 42

issue

  • 18