The radiolabelled opioid receptor binding affinities of morphine and its active metabolite morphine 6-glucuronide at the total mu, mu 1, mu 2 and delta receptors were determined. Morphine 6-glucuronide was found to have a 4-fold lower affinity for the mu 2 receptor (IC50 17 nm and 82 nm for morphine and morphine 6-glucuronide respectively, P = 0.01), the receptor postulated to be responsible fo...

Morphine administered simultaneously to intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) and intrathecal (i.t.) sites exhibits synergism, with the antinociceptive potency much greater than would be predicted from a simple addition of the potencies of the same dose administered to either site alone. This synergism was quantified in mice using both a fixed dose method, in which the morphine dose at one site was ...

Misra et al. (1971) found that 1 h after a single subcutaneous injection of [N-Me-l4C1morphine into the rat, three radioactive compounds could be extracted from the cerebral cortex, namely free morphine, morphine 3-glucuronide and a ‘non-acid-hydrolysable’ conjugate. The regional and subcellular distribution of morphine and its metabolites in brain after subcutaneous injection has never been st...

Introduction: In order to study the alterations of beta 1 and 2 integrins mRNA level in rat lumbar spinal cord following the induction of chronic pain and its effect on the development of tolerance to morphine analgesia, we examined the level of expression of these genes in the presence of chronic pain, which is an inhibitor of morphine tolerance. We used induction of chronic pain alone and in ...

BACKGROUND To investigate clinical variables such as gestational age, sex, weight, the therapeutic regimens used and mechanical ventilation that might affect morphine requirements and plasma concentrations of morphine and its metabolites. METHODS In a double-blind study, neonates and infants stratified for age [group I 0-4 weeks (neonates), group II > or =4-26 weeks, group III > or =26-52 wee...

This study examined to study how respondents rely on the Internet to fulfill the various life goals dimensioned into understanding, orientation and playing goals, and how this dependency relates to the generation of social capital. Further, it examined the resources of social capital in terms of bonding social capita and bridging social capital. In this study quantitative research approach was ...

Morphine administered nasally to humans as a simple solution is only absorbed to a limited degree, with a bioavailability of the order of 10% compared with intravenous administration. This article describes the development of novel nasal morphine formulations based on chitosan, which, in the sheep model, provide a highly increased absorption with a 5- to 6-fold increase in bioavailability over ...

As long-term opioids are increasingly used for control of chronic pain, how pain affects the rewarding effect of opioids and hence risk of prescription opioid misuse and abuse remains a healthcare concern and a challenging issue in current pain management. In this study, using a rat model of morphine self-administration, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of pain on ...

introduction: opiates cause dependency via affect on central nervous system. locus coeruleus nucleus is a main group of noradrenergic neurons in the brain that plays an important role in the expression of opioid withdrawal signs. during opioid withdrawal, brain waves change in addition to physical and behavioral signs. in this study, we examined the effects of locus coeruleus electrical stimula...

Opiates have been reported to induce T cell loss. We evaluated the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and the activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in morphine-induced T cell loss. Morphine-treated human T cells displayed downregulation of VDR and the activation of the RAS. On the other hand, a VDR agonist (EB1089) enhanced T cell VDR expression both under basal and morphine-stimulated...