title: Influence of narcotic antagonist drugs upon nitrous oxide analgesia in mice.
abstract: Nitrous oxide produced a concentration-related suppression of phenylquinone-induced abdominal constriction in mice. This analgesic effect was significantly reduced (but not abolished) by systemic pretreatment with (-)-naloxone or naltrexone but not (+)-naloxone. Systemic pretreatment with methylnaltrexone failed to appreciably influence nitrous oxide analgesia; however, methylnatrexone, administered centrally, significantly attenuated the drug effect. Furthermore, nitrous oxide analgesia was significantly reduced by MR-2266 (which is relatively selective for kappa-opioid receptors) but not by beta-funaltrexamine (which is selective for mu-opioid receptors) at the doses employed in this study. These findings suggest that nitrous oxide analgesia might involve an activation of kappa-opioid receptors in the central nervous system; however, a possible involvement of mu-opioid receptors is not absolutely precluded by this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, WI 53233-2188.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Quock
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Graczak
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009609:Nitrous Oxide