title: Effect of testosterone on morphine withdrawal syndrome in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether testosterone is involved in morphine withdrawal syndrome (WS).
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to induce dependency, rats were treated with subcutaneous injection of morphine (days 1-2, 5 mg/kg; days 3-5, 7.5 mg/kg; days 6-8, 10 mg/kg), and after the last dose of morphine (day 8) WS was induced by intraperitoneal injection of naloxone (1 mg/kg). Wet dog shake (WDS), abdomen writhing (AW), and jumps (J) were recorded as indicators of WS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severity of WDS, AW, and J in male rats was greater than that in females. Accordingly, in 4-week castrated and flutamide-treated (10 mg/kg/day for 8 days, i.p.) male rats, WDS, AW, and J were significantly decreased compared to male control rats. Testosterone replacement therapy (10 mg/kg/day for 8 days, i.m.) in 4-week castrated rats restored the severity of WDS, AW, and J behaviors to the level of non-castrated male rats, whereas testosterone potentiated the WDS behavior in non-castrated male rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded that testosterone might be effectively involved in morphine WS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 51664, Iran. nayebia@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ali Reza Mohajjel
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Nayebi
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rezazadeh
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005260:Female; D005485:Flutamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone; D013739:Testosterone; D009020:Morphine; D005485:Flutamide