Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research logoLink to Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research
. 1993 Apr;57(2):106–109.

Evaluation of the interaction of mu and kappa opioid agonists on locomotor behavior in the horse.

K R Mama 1, P J Pascoe 1, E P Steffey 1
PMCID: PMC1263602  PMID: 8490803

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the interactive effects of mu and kappa opioid agonists on locomotor behavior in the horse. Three doses of a mu agonist, fentanyl (5, 10, 20 micrograms/kg) and a kappa agonist U50,488H (30, 60, 120 micrograms/kg) were administered in a random order to six horses. Locomotor activity was measured using a two minute footstep count. Each dose of U50,488H was then combined with 20 micrograms/kg of fentanyl to determine the interactive effects of the drugs on locomotor activity. A significant increase in locomotor activity was seen with 20 micrograms/kg of fentanyl and all the drug combinations. The combination of U50,488H with fentanyl resulted in an earlier onset of locomotor activity. At the highest doses of the combination (U50,488H 120 micrograms/kg, fentanyl 20 micrograms/kg), the duration of locomotor activity was significantly increased when compared to the other doses. We conclude that locomotor activity is maintained or enhanced in horses when a receptor specific kappa agonist is combined with a mu receptor agonist.

Full text

PDF
106

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Austin M. C., Kalivas P. W. Blockade of enkephalinergic and GABAergic mediated locomotion in the nucleus accumbens by muscimol in the ventral pallidum. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1989 Aug;50(4):487–490. doi: 10.1254/jjp.50.487. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brunson D. B., Majors L. J. Comparative analgesia of xylazine, xylazine/morphine, xylazine/butorphanol, and xylazine/nalbuphine in the horse, using dental dolorimetry. Am J Vet Res. 1987 Jul;48(7):1087–1091. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dhasmana K. M., Dixit K. S., Jaju B. P., Gupta M. L. Role of central dopaminergic receptors in manic response of cats to morphine. Psychopharmacologia. 1972;24(3):380–383. doi: 10.1007/BF00402532. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Di Chiara G., Imperato A. Opposite effects of mu and kappa opiate agonists on dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and in the dorsal caudate of freely moving rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1988 Mar;244(3):1067–1080. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Herz A. Bidirectional effects of opioids in motivational processes and the involvement of D1 dopamine receptors. NIDA Res Monogr. 1988;90:17–26. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kamata K. Pharmacological studies on the interrelation between the dopaminergic, GABAergic and opioid peptidergic systems in the central nervous system of the rat. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1987 Dec;45(4):439–447. doi: 10.1254/jjp.45.439. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kamerling S. G., Dequick D. J., Weckman T. J., Tobin T. Dose-related effects of ethylketazocine on nociception, behaviour and autonomic responses in the horse. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1986 Jan;38(1):40–45. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1986.tb04464.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kamerling S., Weckman T., Donahoe J., Tobin T. Dose related effects of the kappa agonist U-50, 488H on behaviour, nociception and autonomic response in the horse. Equine Vet J. 1988 Mar;20(2):114–118. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01471.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kamerling S., Wood T., DeQuick D., Weckman T. J., Tai C., Blake J. W., Tobin T. Narcotic analgesics, their detection and pain measurement in the horse: a review. Equine Vet J. 1989 Jan;21(1):4–12. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1989.tb02081.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Maze M., Tranquilli W. Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists: defining the role in clinical anesthesia. Anesthesiology. 1991 Mar;74(3):581–605. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Miaskowski C., Sutters K. A., Taiwo Y. O., Levine J. D. Antinociceptive and motor effects of delta/mu and kappa/mu combinations of intrathecal opioid agonists. Pain. 1992 Apr;49(1):137–144. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(92)90200-U. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Miaskowski C., Sutters K. A., Taiwo Y. O., Levine J. D. Comparison of the antinociceptive and motor effects of intrathecal opioid agonists in the rat. Brain Res. 1991 Jul 5;553(1):105–109. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(91)90236-o. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Morelli M., Fenu S., Di Chiara G. Substantia nigra as a site of origin of dopamine-dependent motor syndromes induced by stimulation of mu and delta opioid receptors. Brain Res. 1989 May 15;487(1):120–130. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(89)90947-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Pascoe P. J., Black W. D., Claxton J. M., Sansom R. E. The pharmacokinetics and locomotor activity of alfentanil in the horse. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1991 Sep;14(3):317–325. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.1991.tb00842.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Shippenberg T. S., Herz A. Motivational effects of opioids: influence of D-1 versus D-2 receptor antagonists. Eur J Pharmacol. 1988 Jul 7;151(2):233–242. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(88)90803-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Shippenberg T. S., Herz A. Place preference conditioning reveals the involvement of D1-dopamine receptors in the motivational properties of mu- and kappa-opioid agonists. Brain Res. 1987 Dec 8;436(1):169–172. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(87)91571-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Sutters K. A., Miaskowski C., Taiwo Y. O., Levine J. D. Analgesic synergy and improved motor function produced by combinations of mu-delta- and mu-kappa-opioids. Brain Res. 1990 Oct 22;530(2):290–294. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(90)91297-t. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Vezina P., Kalivas P. W., Stewart J. Sensitization occurs to the locomotor effects of morphine and the specific mu opioid receptor agonist, DAGO, administered repeatedly to the ventral tegmental area but not to the nucleus accumbens. Brain Res. 1987 Aug 4;417(1):51–58. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(87)90178-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research are provided here courtesy of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

RESOURCES