Dependence liability of enkephalin in the myenteric plexus of the guinea pig.

The endogenous ligands of opiate receptors, methionine-eukephalin and leucine-enkephalin, were tested for their ability to maintain or to reinduce dependence in myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle strips taken from tolerant/dependent guinea pigs. Both peptides fully substituted for the function morphine exerts in this preparation. It is concluded that the enkephalins posses a high degree of dependence liability.