Morphine inhibits dopaminergic and cholinergic induced ejaculation in rats.

1. Subcutaneous injection (s.c.) of apomorphine (0.1-0.5 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal administration (i.p.) of quinpirole (0.01-0.25 mg/kg), physostigmine (0.05-0.2 mg/kg) and pilocarpine (0.75-3 mg/kg, i.p.) but not neostigmine (0.1-1 mg/kg) induced ejaculation in rats. 2. The responses of drugs were reduced by morphine (1-6 mg/kg, s.c.) pretreatment. 3. The inhibitory effect of morphine was reversed by naloxone (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.). 4. Naloxone (0.75-3 mg/kg, s.c.) alone induced slight but significant ejaculation. 5. Ejaculatory responses induced by apomorphine and quinpirole but not those by physostigmine and pilocarpine were reduced by sulpiride (100 mg/kg, i.p.) pretreatment. 6. Domperidone (1-30 mg/kg, i.p.) did not change the response induced by apomorphine. 7. Pretreatment of animals with the cholinergic antagonist atropine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) decreased the frequency of ejaculation induced by apomorphine, quinpirole, physostigmine or pilocarpine. 8. It may be concluded that D-2 activation induces ejaculation through influence on cholinergic mechanisms and morphine inhibits the ejaculation induced by activation of both cholinergic and dopaminergic systems via opiate receptor sites.