BACKGROUND We tried to determine whether morphine mimics preconditioning (PC) to reduce cell death in cultured cardiomyocytes and whether opioid delta(1) receptors, free radicals, and K(ATP) channels mediate this effect. METHODS AND RESULTS Chick embryonic ventricular myocytes were studied in a flow-through chamber while flow rate, pH, and O(2) and CO(2) tension were controlled. Cardiomyocyte...

The present study investigated the possible role of nitric oxide (NO) in the development of morphineand Deltorphin II-induced elec-troencephalographic (EEG) seizures in rabbits. Central administration of morphine and Deltorphin II (100 μg/icv/toto) produces EEG seizure activity in rabbits, associated with wet-dog shakes, myoclonic twitches and convulsive activity. L-NG-nitro arginine methyl est...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in thermoregulation and growth of protozoa. This work aimed to add the molecule NO in physiology of protozoa in contact with abused narcotic substances. MATERIALS AND METHODS A sedative drug, morphine, was infused into a cell chamber containing Paramecia. The cell response to the drug was recorded promptly after drug infusion using a po...

Objective(s) Single injection of naloxone, a selective antagonist of morphine, prior to the drug conditioning testing was used to investigate on morphine dependence. Materials and Methods Conditioning to morphine (2.5-10 mg/kg, s.c.) was established in adult male Wistar rats (weighing 200-250 g) using an unbiased procedure. Nitric oxide agents were microinjected into the central amygdala pri...

The opioid system plays an important role in learning and memory by modulation of different molecules in the brain. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of hippocampal nitric oxide and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) on the morphine-induced modulation of spatial memory consolidation in male rats. Spatial memory was assessed in Morris water maze task b...

Objective(s):Dependence and tolerance to opioid analgesics are major problems limiting their clinical application. a-Terpineol is a monoterpenoid alcohol with neuroprotective effects which is found in several medicinal plants such as Myrtus communis, Laurus nobilis, and Stachys byzantina. It has been shown that some of these medicinal plants such as S. byzantina attenuate dependence and toleran...

Introduction: N- nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), one of the L-arginine analogs, has been specified as an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase ( NOS).Nitric oxide synthase is an enzyme which leads to nitric oxide synthesis. Since nitric oxide has been known as a pain mediator, it can be said that L-NAME can decrease and relieve pain. In this research the effect of L-NAME on morphine antino...

objective: in the present study, the effects of aqueous saffron extract (crocus sativus l.) on the acquisition and reinstatement of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (cpp) in mice were investigated. materials and methods: subcutaneous administration of morphine (40 mg/kg for four days) produced place preference. intraperitoneal administration of aqueous extract (40 and 80 mg/kg for ...

In this project, eggshell membrane was used as a solid phase extraction sorbent for extraction of morphine followed by HPLC analysis. At first, raw eggshell membrane was used and then, because of low adsorption of morphine on untreated eggshell membrane (<70%), modification of eggshell membrane surface was carried out using different surfactants and amines. The amine modified eggshells characte...