title: Ibuprofen elevates immunoreactive beta-endorphin levels in humans during surgical stress.
abstract: Release of beta-endorphin is modulated by physiologic stress and a variety of hormonal and pharmacologic factors. Prostaglandin E2 inhibits release of beta-endorphin and corticotropin from pituitary corticotroph cells, suggesting that suppression of prostaglandin levels should increase beta-endorphin release. This hypothesis was tested by administration of 600 mg ibuprofen before surgical stress in humans in comparison to placebo and methylprednisolone. Plasma samples were analyzed for immunoreactive beta-endorphin with concurrent measurement of pain and apprehension. Levels of immunoreactive beta-endorphin increased during surgery in the placebo group but were significantly greater in the group of patients pretreated with ibuprofen. Methylprednisolone suppressed intraoperative immunoreactive beta-endorphin, compared with both placebo and ibuprofen. Parallel in vivo and in vitro studies indicate that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug potentiation of endorphin release is mediated at the level of the pituitary corticotroph cell. These results show that ibuprofen enhances pituitary release of beta-endorphin by corticotroph cells in response to stress.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Troullos
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dionne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D014098:Toothache / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D007052:Ibuprofen; D008775:Methylprednisolone