Cardiorespiratory effects of the novel opioid analgesic HP 736 in the anesthetized dog and conscious goat.
7-Bromo-(3a,5-cis)-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydro-1,3a,8-trimethyl-pyrrolo[2,3- 6]indol-5-ol fumarate (HP 736) is a novel opioid analgesic. In vitro, HP 736 displaces [3H]dihydromorphine (IC50 = 8.3 x 10(-10) M) and [3H]bremazocine (IC50 = 7.4 x 10(-8) M) from mu and kappa opioid receptors, respectively, and displays modest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 4.0 x 10(-5) M). The in vivo antinociceptive activity of HP 736 was found to be comparable to morphine in the modified Haffner's tail clip assay in mice and the D'Amour-Smith tail flick assay in rats. Moreover, these analgesic effects were found to be completely antagonized by the administration of the narcotic antagonist naloxone. A major liability of opioid analgesics such as morphine is the potential to cause cardiorespiratory depression. HP 736 (2, 4 and 10 mg/kg, i.v.) was found to cause significantly less respiratory depression in the anesthetized dog when compared to equivalent doses of morphine. At 10 mg/kg, morphine caused a 48% reduction in arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) (-42.3 +/- 2.5 mm Hg) and a 52% increase in arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2) (21.0 +/- 3.4 mm Hg). In contrast, the same dose of HP 736 produced no significant decrease in PaO2, but did cause a slight 19% increase in PaCO2 (8.2 +/- 1.3 mm Hg), which was significantly less than the response seen after morphine treatment. It was found that pretreatment of the dogs with atropine sulfate (1 mg/kg, i.v.) "unmasked" the respiratory depressant activity of HP 736 (2 mg/kg, i.v.), indicating that the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of the compound may contribute to its reduced cardiorespiratory liability. Finally, in confirmatory experiments conducted in conscious goats, HP 736 (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) was found to stimulate pulmonary ventilation, increase PaO2 and oxygen consumption (+40%) and decrease PaCO2 with an overall stimulatory effect on the metabolic rate. In contrast, the same dose of morphine decreased metabolic rate, reduced pulmonary ventilation (-20%) and PaO2 and increased PaCO2. Overall, the results of these studies indicate that HP 736 is a potent opioid analgesic which appears to lack significant cardiorespiratory depressant activity.
Department of Biological Research, Hoechst-Roussel Pharmaceuticals Inc., Somerville, New Jersey.
J W
JW
Hubbard
K W
KW
Locke
H V
HV
Forster
A G
AG
Brice
L G
LG
Pan
T F
TF
Lowry
A M
AM
Forster
M A
MA
Forster
M
M
Cornfeldt
C L
CL
Vanselous
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D007211:Indoles; D011758:Pyrroles; C073386:HP 736; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009020:Morphine; D001285:Atropine; D010100:Oxygen