title: Naloxone, adrenalectomy, and steroid replacement: evidence against a role for circulating beta-endorphin in food intake.
abstract: Naloxone has a dose-dependent, significant anorectic effect when administered to normal rats, consistent with an antagonism of central or peripheral enkephalinergic or endorphinergic mechanisms. Mean levels of circulating immunoreactive beta-endorphin were similar in intact rats (0.5 ng/ml) and dexamethasone-treated adrenalectomized rats (0.5 ng/ml). In contrast, plasma levels were high in adrenalectomized rats with no replacement steroid (1.3 ng/ml) and in adrenalectomized rats given the mineralocorticoid deoxycorticosterone (0.9 ng/ml). In sharp distinction to the clear changes in circulating immunoreactive beta-endorphin produced by adrenalectomy and selective steroid replacement, no differences were seen in baseline food intake or anorectic response to naloxone. We conclude that a physiological role for circulating beta-endorphin in the regulation of food intake appears unlikely.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D004723:Endorphins; D009270:Naloxone; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D003907:Dexamethasone