Open AccessEffect of testosterone on morphine withdrawal syndrome in rats
Author(s) -
Nayebi Ali Reza Mohajjel,
Rezazadeh Hassan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
asian journal of andrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.701
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1745-7262
pISSN - 1008-682X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-7262.2008.00390.x
Subject(s) - morphine , testosterone (patch) , medicine , endocrinology , (+) naloxone , intraperitoneal injection , castration , subcutaneous injection , flutamide , opioid , hormone , receptor , androgen receptor , prostate cancer , cancer
Aim: To determine whether testosterone is involved in morphine withdrawal syndrome (WS). Methods: In order to induce dependency, rats were treated with subcutaneous injection of morphine (days 1–2, 5 mg/kg; days 3–5, 7.5 mg/kg; days 6–8, 10 mg/kg), and after the last dose of morphine (day 8) WS was induced by intraperitoneal injection of naloxone (1 mg/kg). Wet dog shake (WDS), abdomen writhing (AW), and jumps (J) were recorded as indicators of WS. Results: The severity of WDS, AW, and J in male rats was greater than that in females. Accordingly, in 4‐week castrated and flutamide‐treated (10 mg/kg/day for 8 days, i.p.) male rats, WDS, AW, and J were significantly decreased compared to male control rats. Testosterone replacement therapy (10 mg/kg/day for 8 days, i.m.) in 4‐week castrated rats restored the severity of WDS, AW, and J behaviors to the level of non‐castrated male rats, whereas testosterone potentiated the WDS behavior in non‐castrated male rats. Conclusion: It can be concluded that testosterone might be effectively involved in morphine WS.