Non-opioid effects of N-methyl levallorphan in the anaesthetised rat

1. The effects of the quaternary opioid antagonist N-methyl levallorphan upon cardiovascular responses to non-opioid agonists has been studied in the urethane-anaesthetised rat. 2. N-methyl levallorphan showed an initial nicotinic agonist effect followed by pronounced ganglion blocking activity after intravenous administration. These effects are observed at doses only 2-fold higher than those required to block cardiovascular responses to [Met] enkephalin. 3. The narrow selectivity of N-methyl levallorphan makes this compound inappropriate for opioid antagonist studies where nicotinic receptors may be involved.