Psychomotor stimulant- and opiate-induced c-fos mRNA expression patterns in the rat forebrain: Comparisons between acute drug treatment and a drug challenge in sensitized animals

Amphetamine-, cocaine-, and morphine-induced c-fos expression patterns were examined following an injection protocol that has previously been shown to produce behavioral sensitization and enhanced dopamine release in the striatal complex. Drug-specific c-fos patterns were observed in both acute and sensitization injection paradigms. A sensitization pretreatment schedule did, however, alter the c-fos expression patterns induced by all the drugs in the caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, and the cerebral cortex. In some striatal and cortical regions, there was an increase or recruitment of cells expressing c-fos whereas in others there was an apparent decrease or inhibition. The somatosensory cortex was one area where pretreatment with all three drugs increased c-fos expression. The results suggest that the neuronal networks that are modulated by systemic drug injections in the sensitized animal differ from those affected by the initial drug exposure; areas of overlap may indicate common ‘sensitization’ circuits. Special issue dedicated to Dr. Eric J. Simon.     

Effects ofPsychotria colorata alkaloids in brain opioid system

An ethnopharmacological survey showed that home remedies prepared with flowers and fruits ofPsychotria colorata are used by Amazonian peasants as pain killers. Psychopharmacological in vivo evaluation of alkaloids obtained from leaves and flowers of this species showed a marked dose-dependent naloxone-reversible analgesic activity, therefore suggesting an opioid-like pharmacological profile. This paper reports an inhibitory effect ofP. colorata flower alkaloids on [³H]naloxone binding in rat striata as well as a decrease in adenylate cyclase basal activity. The alkaloids did not affect [³H] GMP-PNP binding. These findings provide a neurochemical basis for the opioid-like activity previously detected in vivo and point toPsychotria alkaloids as a potential source of new bioactive opiate derivatives.     

Temporal Variation in the Interaction Between Calcium Channel Blockers and Morphine-Induced Analgesia

Circadian variations in the interaction between calcium channel blockers and morphine-induced analgesia were determined by the mouse hot-plate test. Calcium channel blockers diltiazem, verapamil, or nicardipine alone did not display any significant analgesic effect, but all of them potentiated morphine-induced analgesia when injected 30 min prior to morphine at most of the injection times. In terms of percent absolute potentiation, they produced more potentiation during the light period than darkness. Their potentiating effects decreased abruptly during darkness, and around the midtime of the dark period no significant potentiation of morphine-induced analgesia was observed. It is concluded that these fluctuations in the magnitude of interaction between calcium channel blockers and morphine must be taken into consideration particularly in studies dealing with the role of calcium in analgesia.     

脑室注射氨茶碱或咪唑对大鼠电针镇痛的影响

我们曾经报道,给大鼠脑室注射 cAMP,外源性地提高脑内 cAMP 水平,引起大鼠的电针镇痛效应显著减弱,并有明显的剂量效应关系。已知裂解 cAMP 的磷酸二酯酶(PDE)抑制剂茶碱能提高脑内 cAMP 含量,而 PDE 激活剂咪唑则能降低脑内 cAMP 水平。因此本文用脑室注射 PDE 抑制剂氨茶碱或 PDE 激活剂咪唑的方法以图改变中枢内源性 cAMP 的水平时对电针镇痛的影响。结果表明氨茶碱能拮抗电针镇痛,而咪唑则对电针镇痛有加强作用。这与外源性注射 cAMP 的结果一致,说明脑内 cAMP 可能是对抗电针镇痛的一个重要因素。     

家兔伏核注射吗啡引起的镇痛可被中脑导水管周围灰质注射纳洛酮或甲啡肽抗体所阻断

本实验室以往的资料表明,在家兔中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)到伏核之间存在一条与镇痛有夫的神经通路,该通路以5-羟色胺(5-HT)和甲啡肽(ME)为其递质。本工作进一步探讨从伏核到PAG的下行镇痛通路。 以辐射热照射家兔嘴侧部皮肤,测量其躲避反应的潜伏期(ERL)作为痛反应阈,简称痛阈。通过预先埋植的慢性套管向伏核内微量注射吗啡,20min后向PAG内双侧注射纳洛酮(NX)或脑啡肽抗血清,观察ERL的变化。(1)伏核内注射吗啡20μg/1μl,引起ERL升高80％以上,作用持续50min以上。(2)PAG内注射NX(每侧0.5、1.0或2.0μg)可不同程度地阻断伏核内注射吗啡的镇痛效应,且呈明显的剂效关系。(3)PAG内注入甲啡肽抗血清(每侧1μl)可部分阻断伏核内注射吗啡的镇痛效应,而注入亮啡肽抗血清或正常兔血清则无效。 实验结果提示,从伏核到PAG存在一条下行镇痛通路,在PAG内可能以ME为其递质。该通路与PAG到伏核的上行镇痛通路构成一个环形的“中脑边缘镇痛回路”,并在针刺镇痛和吗啡镇痛中发挥重要作用。     

脊髓中的甲啡肽和强啡肽参与吗啡下行镇痛

在大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)注射吗啡10μg 可引起明显的镇痛作用,并有部位特异性。在脊髓蛛网膜下腔注射抗甲啡肽 IgG20μg 或抗强啡肽 IgG20μg,均能大部分对抗 PAG内注射吗啡引起的镇痛作用,这提示甲啡肽和强啡肽参与自 PAG 到脊随的下行抑制作用。本实验利用蛋白质 A-琼脂糖 CL-4B 亲和层析柱从血清中纯化 IgG,这种方法简单,提纯速度快,且 IgG 纯度高,为中枢微量注射抗体研究神经肽的生理功能提供了方便。     

猫延髓背部微量注射纳洛酮对电针增强胃运动效应的影响

利用应变规记录33只急性猫的胃窦部蠕动,同时用双极电极记录其胃电。结果发现,微量注射吗啡(10μg/2μl)于低位延髓背部或电针双侧“足三里”都能引起胃窦部蠕动增强(P<0.01)和部分动物簇状锋电位发放。如果事先向低位延髓背部微量注射纳洛酮(2μg/5μl),则电针“足三里”的增强胃窦部蠕动的效应就不再出现。这些结果提示电针“足三里”引起的胃窦部蠕动增强与脑内阿片样物质释放,及其作用于低位延髓背部的一些神经结构有关。     

Nitric oxide synthase activity and the level of nitrates/nitrites in brain regions during spontaneous morphine withdrawal in rats

Activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and concentrations of nitrate/nitrites (NO _x ^? ) were measured in brain regions of rats during spontaneous morphine withdrawal, which was modeled in male Wistar rats. The animals were injected with the increasing intraperitoneal doses (10–100 mg/kg, twice a day) of morphine hydrochloride for 6 days. Thirty six hours after the last injection the severity of the spontaneous morphine withdrawal syndrome was determined by specific autonomic and locomotor indices The withdrawal was accompanied by the increase of both NOS activity and NO _x ^? levels in the midbrain and hippocampus, the decrease of these parameters in striatum and hypothalamus, and lack of changes in cerebral cortex and brain stem. In cerebellum NOS activity decreased whereas NO _x ^? concentrations remained unchanged. In the cerebral cortex, striatum, midbrain, and cerebellum activity of NOS and NO _x ^? concentrations correlated with the withdrawal syndrome severity and also with the specific signs of abstinence.     

腰硬联合蛛网膜下腔注射芬太尼用于分娩镇痛的半数有效剂量的临床研究

目的:确定腰硬联合蛛网膜下腔注射芬太尼用于分娩镇痛的半数有效剂量(ED50),观察蛛网膜下腔注射半数有效剂量芬太尼的效果和副作用,并与蛛网膜下腔注射半数有效剂量的布比卡因进行对比。方法:首先,确定芬太尼用于分娩镇痛的半数有效剂量,筛选50例符合的产妇行腰硬联合分娩镇痛,蛛网膜下腔注射芬太尼的剂量始于25μg,如果镇痛有效,下一病例减少2.5μg芬太尼;如果无效则下一病例增加2.5μg芬太尼。用Probit回归分析计算芬太尼蛛网膜下腔注射行分娩镇痛的半数有效剂量和95%可信区间(95%CI)。第二步,筛选100例需要进行分娩镇痛的产妇,随机分入ED50芬太尼组(F组)和ED50布比卡因组(B组),比较两组药物镇痛效果及起效时间、产妇下肢运动阻滞程度及血压心率变化、胎心变化和镇痛全程药物追加次数。结果:芬太尼蛛网膜下腔注射分娩镇痛的ED50为11.5μg,95%CI为3.5-15.4μg。F组镇痛的平均起效时间为(12.0±3.8)min,两组镇痛的成功率没有统计学差异(P=0.218),F组需要追加PCA的病例百分率明显少于B组(P=0.018)。F组下肢运动阻滞程度轻于B组(P=0.018)。两组镇痛方法对产妇的血压、心率均无明显影响。两组胎心下降的发生率没有明显差异(P0.05)。F组皮肤瘙痒的发生率明显增加(P=0.000)。结论:腰硬联合分娩镇痛蛛网膜下腔注射芬太尼的ED50为11.5μg,95%CI为3.5-15.4μg。蛛网膜下腔注射半数有效剂量的芬太尼可以提供简便、持久、满意和安全的镇痛效果,并且对下肢运动阻滞程度较小,但其所致皮肤瘙痒的发生率升高。     

脊髓水平iNOS在吗啡依赖大鼠戒断反应中的作用

目的:探讨脊髓水平诱导型一氧化氮合酶在吗啡依赖大鼠戒断反应中的作用。方法:健康雄性SD大鼠72只,体重200~250 g,吗啡剂量每次10 mg/kg,每日2次,隔日每次增加10 mg/kg,至第6天末次注射50 mg/kg,大鼠腹腔注射纳洛酮4 mg/kg建立吗啡依赖及戒断模型,在纳洛酮激发戒断前30 min鞘内注射iNOS特异性抑制剂氨基胍(AG)150μg。分为正常对照组、吗啡依赖组、吗啡戒断组、AG组。采用行为学(n=8)、免疫组织化学(n=6)和Western blot(n=4)方法观察鞘内应用iNOS特异性抑制剂氨基胍对吗啡依赖大鼠纳洛酮催促戒断反应和脊髓神经元iNOS表达的影响。结果:AG组戒断症状评分和戒断组促诱发痛评分均低于戒断组(P<0.05)。免疫组织化学和Western blot显示戒断组大鼠脊髓iNOS阳性神经元的数目和蛋白的表达增高,而AG组大鼠脊髓iNOS阳性神经元的数目和iNOS蛋白的表达低于戒断组(P<0.05)。结论:脊髓水平iNOS表达上调可能参与介导吗啡戒断反应。