Non-stereospecific excitatory actions of morphine may be due to GABA-A receptor blockade.
An explosive motor behavior (EMB) similar to that seen following morphine injection into the rat periaqueductal gray (PAG) was observed following an injection of GABA-A receptor antagonists into the rat PAG. In general, the potencies of certain opiates and known GABA-A antagonists in producing EMB following their injections into the PAG paralleled their potencies as GABA antagonists in a radioreceptor assay. We suggest that one of the dual actions of morphine in the CNS may be GABA blockade.
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D003292:Convulsants / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D003292:Convulsants; D009294:Narcotics; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C037476:tert-butylbicyclophosphorothionate; D009020:Morphine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone