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Effect of morphine on resistance to infection
Abstract:
Morphine was demonstrated to exacerbate infections. Experiments were performed to evaluate variations of phagocytic physiology during morphine treatment. In mice, morphine drastically reduced reticuloendothelial system activity, phagocyte count, phagocytic index, killing properties, and superoxide anion production in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages. Similar effects on alveolar macrophage count, phagocytosis, and killing were found in rabbits, a result which suggested a lack of species specificity. Additional experiments demonstrated that morphine (1) induces a reduction of lymphoid organ weight, (2) impairs the ability to eradicate infections and (3) is counteracted in its depressing activity on phagocytic physiology by small amounts of Corynebacterium parvum. The results suggest that there is a close relationship between the fact that morphine exacerbates infections and the fact that morphine depresses phagocytic functions; therefore, the negative effect of morphine on phagocytosis is at least one of the reasons for its negative effect on the development of infections.
Insights
Morphine treatment impairs immune cell function, reducing the body's ability to fight infections. This immune suppression, observed across species, highlights a link between morphine's effects on phagocytosis and exacerbated infections.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Morphine is known to worsen infections.
- Understanding the impact of morphine on immune function is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how morphine affects phagocytic physiology.
- To determine the relationship between morphine's effect on phagocytosis and infection exacerbation.
Main Methods:
- Experiments were conducted on mice and rabbits.
- Evaluated reticuloendothelial system activity, phagocyte counts, phagocytic index, killing properties, and superoxide anion production.
- Assessed lymphoid organ weight and infection eradication capabilities.
Main Results:
- Morphine significantly reduced immune cell activity and function in both mice and rabbits.
- Morphine decreased lymphoid organ weight and impaired infection clearance.
- Corynebacterium parvum counteracted morphine's negative effects on phagocytic physiology.
Conclusions:
- Morphine's depression of phagocytic functions is closely related to its exacerbation of infections.
- Impaired phagocytosis is a key mechanism underlying morphine's detrimental effect on infection development.