title: Phaclofen antagonizes the antinociceptive but not the sedative effects of (-)-baclofen.
abstract: 1. Intraperitoneal (ip) injection of (-)-baclofen induced long-lasting antinociceptive and sedative effects in rats. 2. Phaclofen, the phosphonic derivative of baclofen, fully antagonized the antinociceptive effect of (-)-baclofen. When injected intracerebroventricularly (icv), but not ip, phaclofen antagonized in a dose-dependent fashion (50-200 micrograms) the delays in behavioral response induced by (-)-baclofen (2.5-10 mg/kg ip) in both hot plate and tail flick tests. 3. In addition phaclofen (100 micrograms icv) counteracted the loss of the righting reflex induced by (-)-baclofen (7.5-15 mg/kg ip). 4. In contrast, phaclofen (100-200 micrograms icv) counteracted only in part the sedative effect of (-)-baclofen. In rats pretreated with the antagonist (200 micrograms icv), the electrocorticographic hypersynchrony due to (-)-baclofen (5 mg/kg ip) is replaced by a synchronized pattern associated with behavioral sedation. 5. These data are consistent with the reported antagonism by phaclofen on the effects of (-)-baclofen. They also seem to indicate that in rats phaclofen-sensitive GABA-B receptors play an important role in the analgesic effects of baclofen, but only a minor role in the sedative effects of this drug.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Farmacologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massotti
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D001418:Baclofen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C052329:phaclofen; D001418:Baclofen