title: Morphine state-dependent learning sensitization and interaction with nitric oxide.
abstract: In the present study, the effects of nitric oxide (NO) precursor L-arginine and L-NAME, a potent inhibitor of NO synthase (NOS), on the expression of sensitization of morphine were investigated. Pre-training administration of morphine (5 mg/kg) impaired memory retrieval compared to pre-training saline-treated animals. Amnesia due to pre-training morphine (5 mg/kg) was restored by pre-test morphine (5 mg/kg). The retrieval impairment was also inhibited in mice which had received once-daily injections of morphine (20 and 30 mg/kg, s.c.) for 3 days, followed by 5 days of no drug treatment before training (in order to induce morphine sensitization). Administration of L-arginine (60 mg/kg/day - 3 days) or L-NAME (20 mg/kg/day - 3 days) before training did not alter morphine state dependency. During acquisition of sensitization, administration of L-arginine (60 mg/kg) 20 min before morphine (10 mg/kg/day, for 3 days) increased, while injection of L-NAME (20 mg/kg) 20 min before morphine (30 mg/kg/day, for 3 days) decreased morphine state dependency. It is concluded that NO is involved in the morphine-induced sensitization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, PO Box 13145-784 Tehran, Iran. zarinmr@ams.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zarrindast
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.forename: Azita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalilzadeh
authors.forename: Negin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nouraei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009020:Morphine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester