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Updated: Sep 23, 2026

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Published on: June 10, 2013
Comparative effects of opioid peptides on respiration and analgesia in rats
Abstract:
Receptor mechanisms for opiate induced respiratory depression and analgesia (tail-flick) were studied by the ED50 ratios and the apparent pA2 values of the interactions of naloxone with the mu-agonists morphine and D-ala2-me-phe4-met (O)ol5-enkephalin (FK-33824), and the delta-agonists D-ala2-D-leu5-enkephalin (DADL) and tyr-D-ser-gly-phe-leu-thr. The apparent pA2 values of morphine, FK-33824 and DADL for analgesia were similar, whereas the apparent pA2 values of the mu-agonists for respiratory depression were significantly lower than those of the delta-agonists. The ratio between the ED50 of FK-33824 in analgesia and respiratory depression was much lower than that of DADL. It is concluded that different receptors mediate the opiate-induced respiratory depression. One difficulty with the delta-receptors being maximally involved in this action is the high degree of antagonism shown by naloxone on the respiratory effects of the delta-agonists.
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