BETA-ADRENERGIC ANTAGONISTS ATTENUATE SOMATIC AND AVERSIVE SIGNS OF OPIATE WITHDRAWAL

Citation
Gc. Harris et G. Astonjones, BETA-ADRENERGIC ANTAGONISTS ATTENUATE SOMATIC AND AVERSIVE SIGNS OF OPIATE WITHDRAWAL, Neuropsychopharmacology, 9(4), 1993, pp. 303-311
Citations number
30
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences,Psychiatry,"Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Journal title
Neuropsychopharmacology
ISSN journal
0893-133X → ACNP
Volume
9
Issue
4
Year of publication
1993
Pages
303 - 311
Database
ISI
SICI code
0893-133X(1993)9:4<303:BAASAA>2.0.ZU;2-E
Abstract
The current studies were designed to evaluate the effectiveness of bet a-adrenergic antagonists on opiate withdrawal symptoms utilizing a var iety of paradigms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were made moderately depen dent on morphine with daily incremental injections. Both the nonselect ive beta-antagonist propranolol and the selective beta1-antagonist ate nolol, in the dose range of 5 to 20 mg/kg, were found to significantly reduce many of the somatic responses to either naloxone-precipitated or abstinence-induced withdrawal from morphine. In addition, propranol ol (10 mg/kg) significantly reduced a withdrawal-induced conditioned p lace aversion, while atenolol was effective only at the highest dose t ested (20 mg/kg). These data indicate that beta-adrenergic antagonists might be effective in the treatment of opiate addictions.