Naloxone antagonizes a central histaminergic stimulation of corticosterone secretion in rats

Interaction between histamine and morphine at the level of the hippocampus in the formalin-induced orofacial pain in rats

The present study explored the interaction between histaminergic and opioidergic systems at the level of the hippocampus in modulation of orofacial pain by intra-hippocampal microinjections of histamine, pyrilamine (an antagonist of histamine H(1) receptors), ranitidine (an antagonist of histamine H(2) receptors), morphine (an opioid receptor agonist) and naloxone (an opioid receptor antagonist) in separate and combined treatments. Orofacial pain was induced by subcutaneous (sc) injection of formalin (50 μl, 1%) in the upper lip region and the time spent face rubbing was recorded in 3 min blocks for 45 min. Formalin (sc) produced a marked biphasic (first phase: 0-3 min, second phase: 15-33 min) pain response. Histamine and morphine suppressed both phases of pain. Histamine increased morphine-induced antinociception. Pyrilamine and ranitidine had no effects when used alone, whereas pretreatments with pyrilamine and ranitidine prevented histamine- and morphine-induced antinociceptive effects. Naloxone alone non-significantly increased pain intensity and inhibited the antinociceptive effects of morphine and histamine. The results of the present study indicate that at the level of the hippocampus, histamine through its H(1) and H(2) receptors, mediates orofacial region pain. Moreover, morphine via a naloxone-reversible mechanism produces analgesia. In addition, both histamine H(1) and H(2) receptors, as well as opioid receptors may be involved in the interaction between histamine and morphine in producing analgesia.

Dimaprit--induced neurotoxicity

The neurotoxicity of the histamine H2 agonist dimaprit was characterized. Dimaprit (100 micrograms administered into the lateral cerebral ventricle) induced a large area of brain necrosis 1-3 days later which was uniformly lethal. Lower doses caused dose - related effects on survival, gross brain pathology and body weight. Experiments with other H2 agonists and H2 antagonists, together with studies by others demonstrating a similar toxicity of the congener homodimaprit suggest that the neurotoxicity of dimaprit is independent of brain H2 receptors. Although dimaprit is a useful tool for the characterization of H2 receptor responses, the present results show that this agent must be used with caution, if at all, in classifying brain H2-receptor mediated events.

Antagonistic effect of naloxone on the hypertensive response of intraventricularly administered histamine

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of histamine (HA) to Vetbutal-anaesthetized rats elicited a biphasic pressure response: a fall of blood pressure (BP) in the first minute, followed by a rise in BP. The heart rate (HR) response was also biphasic: bradycardia in the first minute, followed by tachycardia. The H1-receptor agonist 2-pyridylethylamine (PEA) increased the fall in BP in the first minute in comparison with the HA group, and then elicited a rise in BP that was, however, much lower than that produced by HA. Throughout the experiment PEA produced essentially only a bradycardia. The H2-receptor agonist dimaprit elicited a single-phase pressor response, i.e. a rise in BP and did not elicit tachycardia. Intraventricular pretreatment of rats with naloxone greatly reduced the initial response (phase 1) in the first minute in HA groups by 77-83% and PEA groups by 83-100%. Naloxone given in small doses also reduced the fall in HR by 71-100% in those groups. The experimental results permit a conclusion that the phase 1 response, i.e. the fall in BP, results from excitation of H1-receptors. Thus we may propose that H1-receptors are involved in the action of naloxone. Naloxone in a dose of 0.1 microgram inhibited the hypertensive responses of HA after 25-30 min. The reduction reached 71%. Naloxone reduced the small rise in BP induced by PEA (10 micrograms) but totally blocked the rise in BP induced by dimaprit (50 micrograms). This blockade indicates that the central opioid system may transmit the total stimulating response (rise in BP) of H2 receptors induced by dimaprit. Participation of central opioid receptors in HA-stimulated responses has already been demonstrated in corticosterone secretion.

Antagonistic action of naloxone on central histamine receptors-stimulated corticosterone secretion in rats under stress

In rats under a mild stress of restraint the interaction between central opioid receptors and histaminergic stimulation of the pituitary-adrenocortical activity was investigated indirectly through corticosterone secretion. In order to avoid a possible direct action on adrenal glands, all the tested drugs were administered intracerebroventricularly (icv). Naloxone an opioid antagonist and cimetidine, a H2- and mepyramine a H1-receptor antagonists were given 15 min before histamine and histamine agonists. One hour after histaminergic drug injection the rats were restrained for 10 min and decapitated. Histamine, 2-pyridylethylamine (PEA), a histamine H1-receptor agonist, and 4-methylhistamine (MeHA) and dimaprit, H2-receptor agonists, significantly intensified the stress-induced increase in serum corticosterone levels. Naloxone, given alone icv or ip, did not substantially alter the stress-induced corticosterone response. Like mepyramine naloxone abolished the corticosterone response to PEA in stressed rats. Naloxone also decreased significantly, though not totally, the corticosterone response to MeHA, dimaprit and histamine, its efficiency being similar to that of cimetidine, a H2-receptor antagonist. These results suggest that in stressed rats central opioid receptors are considerably involved in the histamine H1-receptor - and, to a lesser degree, in the H2-receptor stimulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.