Morphine-dependent rats: blockade of precipitated abstinence by tetrahydrocannabinol.
Male rats were implanted subcutaneously with a pellet containg 75 milligrams of morphine base or placebo, and naloxone hydrochloride (4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) was administered 72 hours later. Treatment with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (2, 5, or 10 milligrams per kilogram) 1 hour before maloxone administration significantly reduced the intensity of abstinence; the two higher doses blocked the appearance of wet shakes and escapes, diarrhea, and increased defecation. delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol did not induce abstinence itself, and prior treatment with cannabidiol was ineffective in reducing naloxoneprecipitated abstinence in animals with morphine pellets. These data suggest that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol may be of value in facilitating narcotic detoxification.
D000818:Animals; D002188:Cannabis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009021:Morphine Dependence; D009270:Naloxone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010919:Placebos; D051381:Rats; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*
D010919:Placebos; D009270:Naloxone; D013759:Dronabinol