title: Effects of NMDA receptor blockade and nitric oxide synthase inhibition on the acute and chronic actions of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in mice.
abstract: The present studies examined the hypothesis that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-nitric oxide (NO) pathway might be involved in the acute and chronic actions of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The ability of dizocilpine (MK-801), a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), an inhibitor of NO synthase enzyme to modify the analgesic and hypothermic responses following the acute and chronic treatment of animals with THC was determined in male Swiss-Webster mice. Intraperitoneal administration of THC (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) produced dose-dependent analgesic and hypothermic effects. MK-801 at 0.1 mg/kg i.p. attenuated the analgesic but not the hypothermic responses to THC (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.). The effects of various doses of MK-801 (0.03, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) on the analgesic and hypothermic responses to a 10 mg/kg, i.p. dose of THC was also determined. All the doses of MK-801 antagonized the analgesic but not the hypothermic effects of THC. The chronic treatment of animals with THC (10 mg/kg, i.p.) twice daily for 4 days produced tolerance to its analgesic and hypothermic effects. Pretreatment of animals with MK-801 (0.03-0.30 mg/kg, i.p.) did not affect the development of tolerance to the analgesic or the hypothermic action of THC. The pretreatment of animals with L-NMMA (2-8 mg/kg, i.p.), did not alter the analgesic or hypothermic effects of THC. Also, it did not modify the tolerance to its pharmacological actions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacodynamics (M/C 865), University of Illinois at Chicago 60612, USA.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Thorat
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Bhargava
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D013759:Dronabinol; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases