Abstract
The inhibition of basal and forskolin-stimulated platelet adenylate cyclase activity by (-)adrenaline was studied in ten heroin addicts during spontaneous withdrawal. Both basal and forskolin-stimulated enzyme activities were increased during heroin withdrawal and the inhibitory effect induced by (-)adrenaline was potentiated with parallel shifts to the left of the concentration-effect curves. The number of binding sites for [3H](-)adrenaline in platelet membranes was also increased during withdrawal. Treatment with clonidine markedly attenuated the inhibitory effect induced by (-)adrenaline on platelet adenylate cyclase activity. The results indicate that the heroin withdrawal syndrome induces supersensitivity of the platelet α2-adrenoceptor-adenylate cyclase system.
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García-Sevilla, J.A., Ulibarri, I., Ugedo, L. et al. α2-Adrenoceptor-mediated inhibition of platelet adenylate cyclase activity in heroin addicts in abstinence. Psychopharmacology 92, 320–323 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210837
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210837