title: Modulation of naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal syndromes in rats by neuropeptide FF analogs.
abstract: Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) has been reported to be an endogenous anti-opioid peptide that has significant effects on morphine tolerance and dependence. In the present study, we examined the chronic effects of NPFF and its synthetic analogs: the putative agonist, PFRFamide, and the putative antagonists, dansyl-PQRamide and PFR(Tic)amide on naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal syndromes in rats. After a 5-day co-administration with morphine [5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.), twice per day (b.i.d.)] and the tested peptide [intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) or i.p., b.i.d.], naloxone (4 mg/kg, i.p.) was given systemically to evaluate the severity of the morphine withdrawal syndromes. Our results revealed that NPFF significantly potentiated the overall morphine withdrawal syndromes and, on the contrary, dansyl-PQRamide attenuated these syndromes. These results clearly indicate that modulation of the NPFF system in the mammalian central nervous system has significant effects on opiate dependence. In addition, morphine withdrawal syndromes could be practically applied as a valid parameter to functionally characterize the putative NPFF agonists and antagonists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009270:Naloxone; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009842:Oligopeptides; C402062:PFR(Tic)amide; D044005:Tetrahydroisoquinolines; C402061:dansyl-prolyl-glutaminyl-argininamide; C402043:prolyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl-phenylalaninamide; D009270:Naloxone; D009020:Morphine; C053651:phenylalanyl-leucyl-phenylalanyl-glutaminyl-prolyl-glutaminyl-arginyl-phenylalaninamide