N-allylnormetazocine: hemodynamic actions and inhibition of leucine- enkephalin hemodynamic activity in conscious dogs

MB Given, GE Sander, RF Lowe and TD Giles

Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The hemodynamic actions of dl-, d-, and l-N-allylnormetazocine (NANM) were examined. dl-NANM significantly increased heart rate and systemic arterial pressure in a dose-dependent manner. Naloxone (1 mg/kg) inhibited the hemodynamic actions of 0.5 mg/kg dl-NANM. At a dose of 0.25 mg/kg, l-NANM, but not d-NANM, significantly increased heart rate and mean arterial pressure. The effects of l-NANM were blocked by naloxone but not by naloxone-methylbromide, indicating that the opiate effects are mediated by receptors located in the central nervous system. At a higher dose (0.5 mg/kg), d-NANM consistently produced small increases in heart rate and blood pressure which were statistically significant. The hemodynamic actions of Leu-enkephalin were inhibited by pretreatment with dl-NANM and l-NANM but not d-NANM. These results indicate that NANM has opiate hemodynamic activity which resides with the levorotary isomer. Dextrorotary isomer activity is nonopiate or possibly nonspecific. Furthermore, there appears to be a inhibitory interaction between NANM-opiate and enkephalin hemodynamic actions. This suggests that NANM-opiate receptors may be involved in modulation of the hemodynamic response to circulating enkephalins.

Volume 247, Issue 3, pp. 850-856, 12/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics