Premium
Studies of analgesic drugs
Author(s) -
Telford Jane,
Keats Arthur S.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt19656112
Subject(s) - pentazocine , analgesic , narcotic , pharmacology , narcotic antagonist , antagonist , analeptic , medicine , anesthesia , respiratory system , placebo , morphine , naltrexone , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology
Several investigators have shown that some narcotic antagonists are potent analgesics in man, and suggested that a clinically useful nonaddicting potent analgesic could he found among the narcotic antagonists. Since these compounds are respiratory depressants as well, concern has been expressed that the use of narcotic antagonists as analgesics would be handicapped by the lack of an antagonist to its toxic effects, especially respiratory depression. This study was undertaken to demonstrate that a nonspecific analeptic could antagonize the respiratory depression induced by a narcotic antagonist. The respiratory depressant effects of pentazocine, a weak narcotic antagonist which is a potent nanaddicting analgesic in man, was used as the test object. Methylphenidate (30 mg. per 70 Kg. intravenously) significantly antagonized the respiratory depression of pentazocine (40 mg. per 70 Kg. intramuscularly) compared to a placebo in a complete crossover study of six healthy subjects. Antagonism was incomplete at 30 minutes but almost complete at 75 minutes after methylphenidate.