title: Effects of tiapride infusion on plasma levels of beta-endorphin, prolactin and dopamine in patients with pain from cancer.
abstract: Tiapride, a substituted benzamide, exerts an antalgic effect in man. To examine the possibility that tiapride analgesia might be related to a mechanism involving a release of endogenous opioids, the acute effects of an intravenous injection of the drug on plasma radioimmunoassayable beta-endorphin were studied in patients with pain from cancer (placebo-tiapride double-blind randomized trial). Seeing that substituted benzamides affect prolactin secretion, the plasmatic levels of prolactin and dopamine, a known factor inhibiting prolactin release, were studied as well. The tiapride infusion produced a slight but significant increase in plasma beta-endorphin level, an early and significant increase in plasma prolactin, and a sudden and highly significant decrease in plasma dopamine. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that tiapride influences the neuroendocrine system.
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D013976:Tiapamil Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D004723:Endorphins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D013976:Tiapamil Hydrochloride; D004298:Dopamine