Assessment of precipitated abstinence in morphine- dependent rats

✍ Scribed by Eddie Wei

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 523 KB
• Volume: 28
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0033-3158
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00413955

✦ Synopsis

An experimental model is described for quantifying the precipitated abstinence syndrome in morphine-dependent rats. Male rats were made dependent on morphine by subcutaneous implantation of a morphine pellet and the abstinence syndrome precipitated by intraperitoneal injection of naloxone hydrochloride. A ranking system, based on the median effective dose of naloxone for abstinence signs, quantitatively related the incidence of certain precipitated signs to the dose of naloxone. The time course for the development of dependence was shown to be maximal 70--74h after pellet implantation. Food or water deprivation for 48 h dissociated the body weight loss during abstinence from the behavioral signs of precipitated withdrawal. Ganglionic blockade did not significantly modify abstinence behavior. An evaluative procedure which ranks abstinence signs is proposed for quantifying physical dependence on morphine.