title: Gastric secretion and mucosal lesions in morphine-dependent rats.
abstract: The gastric mucosa and basal gastric secretion of morphine-dependent rats with pyloric occlusion were examined. Morphine tolerance and dependence were induced by administering increasing concentrations of morphine sulphate in the drinking water for 3 weeks, and were confirmed by a decreased analgesic response to morphine in the tail-immersion test and by occurrence of a naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndrome, respectively. It was found that although the basal gastric secretion of morphine-dependent rats was not significantly different from that of naive animals, the former group showed a significantly higher gastric glandular mucosal ulcer index. Intraperitoneal injection of naloxone induced significant withdrawal effects but did not produce significant changes in gastric secretion or in ulcer index.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000378:metabolism*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology