title: Non-opioid effects of N-methyl levallorphan in the anaesthetised rat.
abstract: 1. The effects of the quaternary opioid antagonist N-methyl levallorphan upon cardiovascular responses to non-opioid agonists has been studied in the urethane-anaesthetised rat. 2. N-methyl levallorphan showed an initial nicotinic agonist effect followed by pronounced ganglion blocking activity after intravenous administration. These effects are observed at doses only 2-fold higher than those required to block cardiovascular responses to [Met] enkephalin. 3. The narrow selectivity of N-methyl levallorphan makes this compound inappropriate for opioid antagonist studies where nicotinic receptors may be involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kitchen
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D004246:Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005730:Ganglionic Blockers; D006207:Half-Life; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D007977:Levallorphan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects; D014520:Urethane
chemical_list: D005730:Ganglionic Blockers; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009599:Nitroprusside; D007977:Levallorphan; D014520:Urethane; D004246:Dimethylphenylpiperazinium Iodide; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; C045482:N-methyllevallorphan; D000109:Acetylcholine; D009638:Norepinephrine