Skip to main content
Log in

Discriminative stimulus properties of narcotic and non-narcotic drugs in rats trained to discriminate opiate ϰ-receptor agonists

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the discriminative stimulus properties of some narcotic and nonnarcotic drugs in rats trained to discriminate the effect of the proposed opiate ϰ-receptor agonists ethylketocyclazocine and bremazocine. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained in a two-lever food-reinforced paradigm to discriminate between the effect of ethylketocyclazocine (0.32 mg/kg) or bremazocine (0.04 mg/kg) and saline. Both groups of trained rats showed dose-dependent generalization to the effect of the proposed ϰ-agonist MRZ-2033 and some animals generalized the effect of nalophine and pentazocine. Some ethylketocyclazocine — but no bremazocine — trained rats generalized the effect of buprenorphine. The effect of dextrorphan, phencyclidine, and ketamine was generalized by some bremazocine-, but no ethylketocyclazocine-trained rats. Neither group of rats generalized the effect of etorphine, haloperidol, diazepam, or pentobarbital. These data suggest the usefulness of this procedure to evaluate the ϰ-like properties of opioid drugs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chang KJ, Hazum E, Cuatrecasas P (1981) Novel opiate binding sites selective for benzomorphan drugs. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 78:4141–4145

    Google Scholar 

  • Colpaert FC (1978) Discriminative stimulus properties of narcotic analgesic drugs. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 9:863–887

    Google Scholar 

  • Colpaert FC, Niemegeers CJF, Janssen PAJ (1976) On the ability of narcotic antagonists to produce the narcotic cue. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 197:180–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Finney DJ (1952) Probit analysis. Cambridge University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert PE, Martin WR (1976) The effects of morphine-and nalorphine-like drugs in the non-dependent, morphine-dependent and cyclazocine-dependent chronic spinal dog. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 198:66–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert PE, Martin WR, Jessee CA (1977) Use of the chronic spinal dog for the assessment of the abuse potentiality and utility of narcotic antagonists. Proc 39th Comm Prob Drug Depend: 315–327

  • Harris DW, Sethy VH (1980) High affinity binding of 3H-ethylketocyclazocine to rat brain homogenate. Eur J Pharmacol 66: 121–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Hein DW, Young AM, Herling S, Woods JH (1981) Pharmacological analysis of the discriminative stimulus characteristics of ethylketazocine in the rhesus monkey. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 218:7–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Herling S, Coale EH, Hein DW, Winger G, Woods JH (1981) Similarity of the discriminative stimulus effects of ketamine, cyclazocine and dextrorphan in the pigeon. Psychopharmacology 73:286–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Herling S, Woods JH (1981) Discriminative stimulus effects of narcotics: Evidence for multiple receptor-mediated actions. Life Sci 28:1571–1582

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiller JM, Simon EJ (1980) Specific high-affinity 3H-ethylketocyclazocine binding in rat central nervous system: Lack of evidence for ϰ receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 214:516–519

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn DM, Greenberg I, Appel JB (1976) Stimulus properties of the narcotic antagonist pentazocine: Similarity to morphine and antagonism by naloxone. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 196:121–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin WR, Eades CG, Thompson JA, Huppler RE, Gilbert PE (1976) The effects of morphine-and nalorphine-like drugs in the nondependent and morphine-dependent chronic spinal dog. J Pharmacol exp Ther 197:517–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeiffer A, Herz A (1981) Demonstration and distribution of an opiate binding site in rat brain with a high affinity for ethylketocyclazocine and SKF 10,047. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 101:38–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Römer D, Buscher H, Hill RC, Maurer R, Petcher TJ, Welle HBA, Bakel HCCK, Akkerman AM (1980) Bremazocine: A potent, longacting opiate ϰ-agonist. Life Sci 27:971–978

    Google Scholar 

  • Shannon HE, Holtzman SG (1976) Evaluation of the discriminative effects of morphine in the rat. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 198:54–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Shearman GT, Herz A (1981) Discriminative stimulus properties of bremazocine in the rat. Neuropharmacology 20:1209–1213

    Google Scholar 

  • Shearman GT, Herz A (1982) Evidence that the discriminative stimulus properties of fentanyl and ethylketocyclazocine in the rat are mediated by an interaction with different opiate receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 221:735–739

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder SH, Goodman RR (1980) Multiple neurotransmitter receptors. J Neurochem 35:1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Teal JJ, Holtzman SG (1980) Discriminative stimulus effects of cyclazocine in the rat. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 212:368–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyers MB (1980) A classification of opiate receptors tha mediate antinociception in animals. Br J Pharmacol 69:503–512

    Google Scholar 

  • White JM, Holtzman SG (1981) The discriminative stimulus properties of pentazocine (P) in the squirrel monkey. Fed Proc 40:246

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiley JJ, Holtzman SG (1981) Discriminative effects of dextromethorphan and dextrorphan in the squirrel monkey. Fed Proc 37:322

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood PL, Charleson SE, Lane D, Hudgin RL (1981) Multiple opiate receptors: Differential binding of μ, ϰ and δ agonists. Neuropharmacology 20:1215–1220

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shearman, G.T., Herz, A. Discriminative stimulus properties of narcotic and non-narcotic drugs in rats trained to discriminate opiate ϰ-receptor agonists. Psychopharmacology 78, 63–66 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00470590

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00470590

Key words

Navigation