title: Mu-opioid component of the ethylketocyclazocine (EKC) discriminative stimulus in the rat.
abstract: The opioid receptor selectivity of the EKC discriminative stimulus was characterized in Fischer rats trained to discriminate 0.3 mg/kg EKC (SC) from saline in a two-choice discrete-trial avoidance paradigm. The putative kappa-opioid receptor agonists EKC and U50,488H completely generalized with the EKC cue at doses of 0.3 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. The putative mu-opioid receptor agonists morphine (M) and fentanyl also dose-dependently generalized with the EKC stimulus. The generalization of M with EKC was not symmetrical, EKC and U50,488H produced little or no M-appropriate responding in rats trained to discriminate 3.0 mg/kg M (SC) from saline. This generalization pattern may reflect a lack of opioid receptor selectivity of the EKC stimulus. However, distinct mu-opioid and kappa-opioid components of the EKC cue could be identified using graded doses of naloxone in EKC-trained rats. The discriminative effects of morphine and fentanyl were blocked completely by doses of 0.1-1.0 mg/kg naloxone, whereas doses of naloxone 3-10 times greater were necessary to block the discriminative effects of EKC and U50,488H. These results suggest that EKC produces a complex discriminative stimulus with mu-opioid and kappa-opioid components that can be separated using antagonists such as naloxone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Research, Hoechst-Roussel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Somerville, NJ 08876-1258.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Locke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gorney
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cornfeldt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fielding
mesh_terms: D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D000818:Animals; D003496:Cyclazocine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016314:Ethylketocyclazocine; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology*; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu
chemical_list: D011759:Pyrrolidines; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D009270:Naloxone; D016314:Ethylketocyclazocine; D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D009020:Morphine; D003496:Cyclazocine; D005283:Fentanyl