[Effect of prostaglandins, cyclic nucleotides and ions on the analgesic effect of enkephalin analogs].

The effect of intracellular modulators and ions on the analgetic action of the two tetrapeptide analogs, Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-NH2 and Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe (NO) NH2, was studied in rat experiments. The threshold of pain reaction to electrical stimulation of the tail, evidenced by vocalization, was measured. PGE1, PGE2, PGE2 alpha, cAMP, and dibutyryl cAMP were shown to diminish the effect of the above-mentioned enkephalin analogs. In contrast to cAMP, cGMP was not active in this respect. Among the ions under study (calcium, lithium, rubidium, and cesium), cesium was shown to be the most active. It prevented the increase of the pain reaction threshold and shortened the duration of analgesia. Lithium had no antagonistic effect as regards the enkephalin-induced analgesia. Comparison of these findings with the previously obtained data on the antagonism of the substances under consideration with morphine suggests similarities in the mechanisms of modulation of the effects of opiates and opioids. At the same time the failure of lithium to antagonize the enkephalin analogs and the presence of morphine antagonism point out that the similarities in the mechanisms of ion regulation of exogenous analgetics and enkephalins cannot be regarded as complete enough.