title: A conspicuous down-regulating effect of morphine on essential steroid hydroxylation reactions and certain drug N-demethylations.
abstract: This study was conducted to explore the potency of morphine to induce reductions of specific cytochrome P450 isoenzyme functions. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with escalating doses (20-125 mg/kg per day) of morphine for 2 weeks in order to study the effects on the following cytochrome P450 catalyzed reactions: 16 alpha-hydroxylation of dehydroepienderosterone (DHA) and progesterone; 17 alpha- and 21-hydroxylation of progesterone; N-demethylation of ethymorphine, codeine and morphine as well as O-dealkylation of ethylmorphine and codeine. 16 alpha-Hydroxylation of DHA and progesterone and 17 alpha-hydroxylation of progesterone decreased to 18, 12 and 10% of control activities, respectively. The N-demethylation of ethylmorphine and codeine decreased to 34 and 43% of control activities, respectively. Morphine treatment had no effect on the 21-hydroxylation reactions or the O-dealkylation of ethylmorphine or codeine. A monoclonal antibody (Mab) against rat liver cytochrome P450 2 c/RLM 5 exerted a 66-73% inhibition of the N-demethylation of ethylmorphine and codeine, respectively, whereas the O-dealkylation reactions were not affected. This Mab inhibited the 16 alpha- and 17 alpha-hydroxylation of DHA and progesterone, whereas the 21-hydroxylation reactions were unaffected. The steroid hydroxylation reactions in rat adrenals were not altered upon morphine treatment. Our data suggest that a major part of the 16 alpha- and 17 alpha-steroid hydroxylations are catalyzed by the same (or closely related) cytochrome(s) P450 as the opioid N-demethylation reactions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Academic Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rane
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ask
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D000818:Animals; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072467:Cytochrome P450 Family 2; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006900:Hydroxylation; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D039181:Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D013256:Steroids; D009020:Morphine; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; C450279:CYP2C11 protein, rat; D000072467:Cytochrome P450 Family 2; D039181:Steroid 16-alpha-Hydroxylase