Effects of diabetes on the antinociceptive effect of (+/-)pentazocine in mice.

The antinociceptive effect of (+/-)pentazocine was examined in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Although intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of (+/-)pentazocine (10 nmol) produced a significant antinociceptive effect in both non-diabetic and diabetic mice, the antinociceptive effect of (+/-)pentazocine was greater in diabetic mice than in non-diabetic mice. The antinociceptive effects of (+/-)pentazocine in both diabetic and non-diabetic mice were significantly antagonized by s.c. administration of nor-binaltorphimine, a selective kappa-opioid receptor antagonist. On the other hand, the antinociceptive effects of (+/-)pentazocine were potentiated when non-diabetic mice were pretreated with beta-funaltrexamine, a selective mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the antinociceptive effect of (+/-)pentazocine between diabetic mice and beta-funaltrexamine-treated non-diabetic mice. These results suggest that the hypo-responsiveness of mu-opioid receptors may account for the enhanced kappa-opioid receptor-mediated antinociceptive effect of (+/-)pentazocine in diabetic mice.