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Immunomodulation by morphine in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice
P P Singh1, S Singh, G P Dutta
1Division of Microbiology and Pharmacology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
Life Sciences
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Morphine affects Plasmodium berghei infection in mice differently based on dose. Low-dose morphine enhances host defense and suppresses malaria, while high-dose morphine potentiates the infection.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Morphine, an opiate, can modulate immune responses.
- The impact of morphine on host defense during parasitic infections like malaria is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dose-dependent effects of morphine on immunomodulation and host defense during Plasmodium berghei infection in BALB/c mice.
Main Methods:
- Mice were infected with Plasmodium berghei and treated with low (5.0 mg/kg) or high (80.0 mg/kg) doses of morphine.
- Immune parameters including leukocyte counts, peritoneal macrophage numbers, and phagocytic activity were assessed.
- The role of macrophages and opiate receptors was examined using silica and naloxone treatments.
Main Results:
- Low-dose morphine significantly suppressed parasitemia and enhanced leukocyte counts, peritoneal macrophage numbers, and phagocytic activity.
- High-dose morphine mildly potentiated parasitemia and diminished these immune parameters.
- Silica treatment abrogated morphine's protective effects, while naloxone blocked protection but not potentiation.
Conclusions:
- Morphine exhibits a dose-dependent, biphasic effect on Plasmodium berghei infection in mice.
- These effects appear to be mediated by modulating macrophage-dependent immune mechanisms via naloxone-sensitive opiate receptors.