Effects of some opiates and opioid peptide eyedrops on ocular melatonin regulation in rabbits.

Levels of melatonin in rabbit eye tissues were detected by radioimmunoassay. Solutions of met-enkephalin, leu-enkephalin, alpha-endorphin and beta-endorphin were given topically. Met-Enkephalin and alpha-endorphin lowered levels of melatonin in the iris, iris root-ciliary body, retina and choroid; leu-enkephalin raised levels in the retina and lowered them in other tissues. beta-Endorphin only lowered levels in the iris root-ciliary body. DAGO (a mu agonist) given i.v. lowered levels of melatonin in the iris, iris root-ciliary body and retina. The delta and sigma agonists given i.v. only lowered levels in the iris root-ciliary body, and a kappa agonist given i.v. raised levels in the ciliary body. No opiate binding sites could be detected in the rabbit iris or iris root-ciliary body for any class of receptor. Our data suggest opioids may be useful for treating glaucoma.