Desmopressin accelerates the rate of urinary morphine excretion and attenuates withdrawal symptoms in rats

Abstract

Aim:The aim of this study was to examine the effects of desmopressin on morphine withdrawal symptoms and vasopressin level in morphine-dependent subjects.Methods: Wistar male rats were injected s.c. with morphine once per day for 5 consecutive days to induce morphine dependence. After morphine use ceased on day 5, an equal number of rats were assigned to one of four groups for either saline or desmopressin by either intraperitoneal (i.p.) or intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection. From days 5 to 10, urine was collected daily and tested for the presence of morphine, and withdrawal symptoms were monitored to assess the effects of desmopressin.Results: Significant weight loss occurred among all morphine-addicted rats during the withdrawal period. With both methods (i.p. and i.c.v.), the period of urinary morphine excretion was shorter for the two groups that were given desmopressin (experimental groups) than the two groups that were not given desmopressin (control groups), and no significant difference in urinary morphine excretion was found between the two experimental groups. During the early stage of withdrawal, the severity of the withdrawal symptoms in the experimental groups was significantly lower than that in the control groups. Conclusion:Desmopressin decreases the extent of morphine withdrawal symptoms, indicating that this agent might be appropriate for treating morphine addiction. Desmopressin appears to reduce withdrawal symptoms not by exerting an anti-diuretic effect but rather by exerting an effect on the central nervous system.

Antioxidant Potential of Phoenix dactylifera Linn Extract and its Effects on Calcium Channel Antagonist in the Treatment of Withdrawal Syndrome in Morphine Dependent Rats

“…21,33 Chronic administration of opioids usually results in physical dependence as proved by the appearance of withdrawal symptoms after termination of the drug, or when an opioids antagonist is delivered. 34 In this study, chronic morphine treatment resulted in physical dependence which was shown by various withdrawal signs after naloxone injection. In morphine treated rats, naloxone injection induced a full blown behavioral signs of withdrawal (jumping, tremor, eye ptosis, teeth chattering, wet dog shaking, urination and diarrhea).…”

Acute and chronic effects of morphine on Low-Mg2+ ACSF-induced epileptiform activity during infancy in mice hippocampal slices

“…Normal mice were injected with saline, and the morphinetreated mice received cumulative doses of morphine sulfate daily for five consecutive days (2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg/kg) at 08:00 AM. Even though many previous investigations had used greater doses of morphine (> 32 mg/kg), such doses were avoided here because they led to considerable toxicity and mortality in this study and in our previous investigation (13).…”

The effect of selective opioid receptor agonists and antagonists on epileptiform activity in morphine‐dependent infant mice hippocampal slices

“…All injections were administered subcutaneously (s.c.) in a volume of 0.1 mL. The control group received daily injections of 0.9% physiological saline, and the morphine‐treated group were injected with additive doses of morphine sulfate solution once a day for 5 consecutive days (2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg/kg) at 0800 h. Although most previous studies had used higher doses of morphine (>32 mg/kg), we avoided such doses because they resulted in considerable toxicity symptoms and mortality in this study and our previous investigation (Saboory et al, 2012).…”