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Effects of opioids in the formalin test in the Speke’s hinged tortoise ( Kinixy’s spekii)
Author(s) -
WAMBUGU S. N.,
TOWETT P. K.,
KIAMA S. G.,
ABELSON K. S. P.,
KANUI T. I.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-2885
pISSN - 0140-7783
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2009.01148.x
Subject(s) - nociception , opioidergic , morphine , pethidine , (+) naloxone , anesthesia , medicine , opioid , pharmacology , analgesic , receptor
Wambugu, S.N., Towett, P.K., Kiama, S.G., Abelson, K.S.P., Kanui, T.I. Effects of opioids in the formalin test in the Speke’s hinged tortoise ( Kinixy’s spekii). J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. doi: 10.1111/j.1365‐2885.2009.01148.x. Little is known about analgesia in lower vertebrates such as the Speke’s hinged tortoise ( Kinixy’s spekii ), yet of late they are increasingly being adopted as pets. The effects of morphine (5, 7.5, 10 and 20 mg/kg), pethidine (10, 20, and 50 mg/kg) and naloxone (5 mg/kg) on nociception induced by the formalin test (12.5%, 100 μL) were studied in the Speke’s hinged tortoise. Formalin induced a monophasic limb retraction behavioural response and its duration was recorded. The behaviour lasted for 16.4 ± 0.8 min. Morphine (7.5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) and pethidine (20 and 50 mg/kg) induced significant decrease in the duration of limb retraction in the formalin test. The anti‐nociceptive effects were naloxone (5 mg/kg) reversible. The data suggest that the formalin test is a good test for studying nociception and anti‐nociception in tortoises and that the opioidergic system plays a role in the control of nociception in these animals.