European journal of pharmacology
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The analgesic effect of indomethacin was investigated by using the visceral pain model in rabbits. After intravenous administration of indomethacin (2 mg/kg), the maximum increase of the visceral pain threshold was 0.42 +/- 0.31 mA (P < 0.05). The analgesic effect lasted 40 min. ⋯ The results imply that prostaglandins of the central nervous system could induce hyperalgesia. Indomethacin injected centrally and peripherally has an analgesic effect on visceral pain. This analgesic effect is mediated by alpha-adrenoceptors. beta-Endorphin does not participate in the analgesic action of indomethacin.
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(+)-cis-Dioxolane (0.5-2 micrograms), a muscarinic receptor agonist, given intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the tail-flick response in male ICR mice. (+)-cis-Dioxolane given i.c.v. at a subanalgesic dose (0.25 micrograms), selectively potentiated the antinociceptive response induced by i.c.v. administered beta-endorphin, an epsilon-opioid receptor agonist, but not morphine or [D-Ala2,NMePhe4,Gly5-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO), mu-opioid receptor agonists, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE), a delta receptor agonist, or trans(+/-)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl]- benzeneacetamide methane sulfonate (U50,488H), a kappa-opioid receptor agonist. The antinociceptive response induced by (+)-cis-dioxolane given i.c.v. was attenuated by i.c.v. treatment with N omega-nitro-L-arginine (1 microgram), hemoglobin (120 micrograms) or methylene blue (10 micrograms). The antinociception induced by carbachol given i.c.v. was also antagonized by the i.c.v. treatment with N omega-nitro-L-arginine (1 microgram). ⋯ The potentiation of beta-endorphin-induced antinociception by (+)-cis-dioxolane was reversed by i.c.v. treatment with N omega-nitro-L-arginine (1 microgram), hemoglobin (120 micrograms) or methylene blue (10 micrograms). On the other hand, the antinociceptive response induced by (+)-cis-dioxolane (1 microgram) given i.c.v. was potentiated by i.c.v. administered L-arginine (20 micrograms) but not D-arginine (20 micrograms). Dibutyryl cyclic GMP at 0.5-2.0 micrograms given i.c.v. produced an antinociceptive response and at subanalgesic dose (0.1 microgram) potentiated i.c.v. beta-endorphin-induced antinociception.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Comparative Study
Effects of propofol, pentobarbital and alphaxalone on t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding in rat cerebral cortex.
The effects of propofol, pentobarbital, alphaxalone, etomidate and diazepam on t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS) binding to membrane preparations from rat cerebral cortex were studied in the absence of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Addition of low concentrations (3-10 microM) of propofol to washed membrane preparations (devoid of GABA) markedly enhanced [35S]TBPS binding (maximal enhancement, 85%), whereas higher concentrations (50-100 microM) inhibited this parameter. Diazepam also enhanced [35S]TBPS binding in this preparation (maximal enhancement, 38%). ⋯ The ability of GABA to reverse the effect of propofol on [35S]TBPS binding in washed membranes was shared by pentobarbital (200 microM) and alphaxalone (3 microM); etomidate (20 microM) only partially antagonized the effect of propofol. Diazepam at a concentration (30 microM) that alone had no effect on [35S]TBPS binding failed to modify the propofol-induced increase in [35S]TBPS binding, whereas at a concentration (3 microM) that alone increased [35S]TBPS binding the effect of diazepam was additive with that of propofol. The addition of bicuculline to washed membranes failed to abolish the increase in [35S]TBPS binding induced by propofol or diazepam, but completely antagonized the effects of pentobarbital, alphaxalone and etomidate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Kinin B1 receptors on rabbit aorta smooth muscle cells in culture were investigated. [3H]Des-Arg10-kallidin labeled a single site in cells at early passage with an equilibrium dissociation constant of 258 pM and a maximal binding density of approximately 680 sites/cell. Treatment of the same cells for 18 h with epidermal growth factor increased the binding density over 6-fold without affecting the ligand's affinity. At latter passages, the density of binding sites was found to increase and the growth factor had a much less pronounced effect. ⋯ Des-Arg9[Leu8] BK blocked the des-Arg10-kallidin response with a potency consistent with its known B1 receptor activity while Hoe 140 was inactive. These results demonstrate the presence of inducible B1 receptors on rabbit aorta smooth muscle cells in culture that couple to phospholipase C activation. These cells should be useful in future studies of the mechanisms and factors involved in the regulation of expression of the B1 receptor.
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The effects of acute and chronic administration of tianeptine, a novel antidepressant agent, on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis were studied in the adult male rat. A single injection of tianeptine did not alter the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. In contrast, chronic administration of tianeptine (10 mg/kg twice a day for 15 days) induced a significant decrease in the concentration of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the hypothalamus and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in the anterior lobe of the pituitary. ⋯ Tube restraint stress for 30 min induced a significant depletion of hypothalamic CRF and a substantial increase of plasma ACTH and corticosterone. Tianeptine abolished the stress-induced reduction of hypothalamic CRF concentration and markedly reduced the stress-induced increase in plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels. Taken together, these results suggest that tianeptine acts primarily at the level of the hypothalamus: (1) in unstressed rats, tianeptine reduces hypothalamic CRF and pituitary ACTH contents; (2) in stressed animals, tianeptine attenuates the activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.