Differential effects of heroin on opioid levels in the rat brain.
Dependence on the potent narcotic agent heroin in rats was produced by the implication of double-coated pellets. Chronic administration of this drug induced significant alterations in dynorphin B and [Met5]enkephalin-Arg6-Gly7-Leu8 (ME-RGL) levels in discrete areas of the rat brain. The level of the latter increased by 53.6% in the substantia nigra while the levels of dynorphin B increased in the globus pallidus and ventral tegmental area (188.0 and 41.8%, respectively).
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D003932:Heroin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D009294:Narcotics; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D003932:Heroin; D004399:Dynorphins; C033453:enkephalin-Met, Arg(6)-Gly(7)-Leu(8)-