Differential modulation by muscimol and baclofen on antinociception induced by morphine, beta-endorphin, D-Pen2,5-enkephalin and U50,488H administered intracerebroventricularly in the mouse.

The present study was designed to investigate the modulatory effects of stimulation of GABAA and GABAB receptors at supraspinal sites on antinociception induced by supraspinally administered mu-, epsilon-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptor agonists. The effects of the GABAA and GABAB receptor agonists, muscimol and baclofen respectively, on the antinociception induced by morphine (a mu-receptor agonist), beta-endorphin (an epsilon-receptor agonist), D-Pen2,5-enkephalin (DPDPE, a delta-receptor agonist) and U50,488H ([trans-3,4-dichloroN-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl] benzeocetamide]; a kappa-receptor agonist) injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) were studied. The antinociception was assayed using the tail-flick and hot-plate tests. Muscimol at doses of 25-200 ng, administered i.c.v. alone did not affect the latencies of tail-flick and hot-plate thresholds, but attenuated dose-dependently the inhibition of the tail-flick and hot-plate responses induced by i.c.v. administered morphine (2 micrograms), beta-endorphin (1 microgram), DPDPE (10 micrograms), and U50,488H (60 micrograms). Baclofen (1.25-10 ng) administered i.c.v. alone did not affect the latencies of the tail-flick and hot-plate responses, but attenuated dose-dependently the inhibition of the tail-flick and hot-plate responses induced by beta-endorphin and U50,488H, without affecting morphine- or DPDPE-induced responses. Our results indicate that activation of GABAA receptors at the supraspinal sites by i.c.v. injection of muscimol antagonizes antinociception induced by supraspinally administered mu-, epsilon-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptor agonists. On the other hand, activation of GABAB receptors at supraspinal sites by i.c.v. baclofen antagonizes antinociception induced by i.c.v. administered epsilon- and kappa-opioid agonists, but not mu- or delta-opioid agonists.