Attenuation by dextromethorphan on the higher liability to morphine-induced reward, caused by prenatal exposure of morphine in rat offspring.
Co-administration of dextromethorphan (DM) with morphine during pregnancy and throughout lactation has been found to reduce morphine physical dependence and tolerance in rat offspring. No evidence was presented, however, for the effect of DM co-administered with morphine during pregnancy on morphine-induced reward and behavioral sensitization (possibly related to the potential to induce morphine addiction) in morphine-exposed offspring. Conditioned place preference and locomotor activity tests revealed that the p60 male offspring of chronic morphine-treated female rats were more vulnerable to morphine-induced reward and behavioral sensitization. The administration of a low dose of morphine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) in these male offspring also increased the dopamine and serotonin turnover rates in the nucleus accumbens, which implied that they were more sensitive to morphine. Co-administration of DM with morphine in the dams prevented this adverse effect of morphine in the offspring rats. Thus, DM may possibly have a great potential in the prevention of higher vulnerability to psychological dependence of morphine in the offspring of morphine-addicted mothers.
Wu
Ling-Yi
LY
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Nei-Hu, Taipei, Taiwan. lingyiwukimo@yahoo.com.tw
Chen
Jain-Fang
JF
Tao
Pao-Luh
PL
Huang
Eagle Yi-Kung
EY
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003915:Dextromethorphan / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009021:Morphine Dependence / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012737:Sex Factors
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D004338:Drug Combinations; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D003915:Dextromethorphan; D009020:Morphine