Role of opioid receptors in the long-lasting blood pressure depression after electric muscle stimulation in the hind leg of the rat.

In a previous study, electrically induced contractions of the gastrocnemius muscle in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats were shown to induce a blood pressure reduction of 15-20 mmHg lasting several hours. We showed in that study that endogenous opioid systems were involved. In this study, drugs with selective affinity for different opioid receptors were used to analyse further the involvement of endogenous opioid systems in the post-stimulatory drop in blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Prestimulatory intracerebroventricular administration of beta-FNA (a mu-receptor antagonist) did not significantly influence the response at all, nor did a lower intravenous dose of naloxone reverse the post-stimulatory drop in blood pressure. High-dose naloxone (15 mg kg-1) increased post-stimulatory blood pressure by around 10 mmHg. About 50% of the drop thus remained after this treatment. A similar, partial reversal of the decreased blood pressure was seen after intravenous administration of a delta-receptor antagonist, ICI 154,129. However, the depressor response was completely reversed by a low intravenous dose of MR 2266 BS (a kappa-receptor antagonist). These results suggest that the reduction in blood pressure after muscle stimulation is mainly mediated by the opioid kappa-receptor. A certain involvement of the delta-receptor is also indicated.