[Interaction between opiate subtypes and serotonin in suppressing noxiously evoked activity of WDR neurons]

The present study examined interactions between mu and delta opiate subtypes and serotonin. Noxious activity evoked by radiant heat (51 degrees C, 8 sec) was extracellularly recorded from single discriminated wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in decerebrate spinally transected cats. DAGO (mu selective opioid agonist) 1 microgram or DPDPE (delta selective opioid agonist) 30 micrograms was combined with serotonin (n = 6 each) 250 micrograms. The dose of each drug by itself when administered intrathecally produced no suppression of noxiously evoked activity. Although the combination of DAGO and serotonin produced no significant suppression of noxiously evoked activity, DPDPE and serotonin produced significant suppression to 72.8 +/- 8.0 % (mean +/- SEM) of control values (P < 0.01). Intravenously administered naloxone 0.1 mg reversed the suppression produced by the DPDPE-serotonin combination. Our results suggest that combinations of serotonin and delta selective opiates may be more effective in suppressing noxiously evoked activity than combinations with mu selective opiates.