Relationship between analgesia and respiratory depression for mu opioid receptor agonists in mice. 1991

D G Stott, and B J Pleuvry
Department of Anaesthesia, University of Manchester.

The relationship between analgesic activity, measured as the hot plate reaction time, and respiratory depression, measured as ventilatory frequency, was investigated in mice for a variety of mu opioid receptor agonists with differing selectivities for mu receptors compared with delta receptors. There was a weak correlation between analgesia and respiratory depression for opioids with the greatest selectivity for mu opioid receptors compared with delta receptors, such as alfentanil. The strength of the correlation increased for opioids which had greater delta receptor activity, such as morphine and fentanyl. Etorphine, which has almost equal affinity for mu, delta and, incidentally, kappa receptors, showed a strong correlation between analgesia and respiratory depression. We conclude that the predictability of the degree of respiratory depression produced by a given analgesic dose of an opioid appears to decrease with its selectivity for mu opioid receptors, at least in the mouse.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D011957 Receptors, Opioid Cell membrane proteins that bind opioids and trigger intracellular changes which influence the behavior of cells. The endogenous ligands for opioid receptors in mammals include three families of peptides, the enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins. The receptor classes include mu, delta, and kappa receptors. Sigma receptors bind several psychoactive substances, including certain opioids, but their endogenous ligands are not known. Endorphin Receptors,Enkephalin Receptors,Narcotic Receptors,Opioid Receptors,Receptors, Endorphin,Receptors, Enkephalin,Receptors, Narcotic,Receptors, Opiate,Endorphin Receptor,Enkephalin Receptor,Normorphine Receptors,Opiate Receptor,Opiate Receptors,Opioid Receptor,Receptors, Normorphine,Receptors, beta-Endorphin,beta-Endorphin Receptor,Receptor, Endorphin,Receptor, Enkephalin,Receptor, Opiate,Receptor, Opioid,Receptor, beta-Endorphin,Receptors, beta Endorphin,beta Endorphin Receptor,beta-Endorphin Receptors
D012119 Respiration The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration ( Breathing
D003864 Depression, Chemical The decrease in a measurable parameter of a PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESS, including cellular, microbial, and plant; immunological, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, urinary, digestive, neural, musculoskeletal, ocular, and skin physiological processes; or METABOLIC PROCESS, including enzymatic and other pharmacological processes, by a drug or other chemical. Chemical Depression,Chemical Depressions,Depressions, Chemical
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D000701 Analgesics, Opioid Compounds with activity like OPIATE ALKALOIDS, acting at OPIOID RECEPTORS. Properties include induction of ANALGESIA or NARCOSIS. Opioid,Opioid Analgesic,Opioid Analgesics,Opioids,Full Opioid Agonists,Opioid Full Agonists,Opioid Mixed Agonist-Antagonists,Opioid Partial Agonists,Partial Opioid Agonists,Agonist-Antagonists, Opioid Mixed,Agonists, Full Opioid,Agonists, Opioid Full,Agonists, Opioid Partial,Agonists, Partial Opioid,Analgesic, Opioid,Full Agonists, Opioid,Mixed Agonist-Antagonists, Opioid,Opioid Agonists, Full,Opioid Agonists, Partial,Opioid Mixed Agonist Antagonists,Partial Agonists, Opioid
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D017450 Receptors, Opioid, mu A class of opioid receptors recognized by its pharmacological profile. Mu opioid receptors bind, in decreasing order of affinity, endorphins, dynorphins, met-enkephalin, and leu-enkephalin. They have also been shown to be molecular receptors for morphine. Morphine Receptors,Opioid Receptors, mu,Receptors, Morphine,Receptors, mu,Receptors, mu Opioid,mu Receptors,Morphine Receptor,mu Opioid Receptor,mu Receptor,Opioid Receptor, mu,Receptor, Morphine,Receptor, mu,Receptor, mu Opioid,mu Opioid Receptors

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