Abstract
Mice were exposed for 10–20 min to room air, 100% oxygen (O2) or increasing concentrations of nitrous oxide (N2O) in O2, then tested for 3 min in a staircase inside a glovebag. N2O produced a concentration-dependent increase in the number of steps ascended (NSA) but no change in the number of rears (NR). Pretreatment with naloxone reversed the increase in NSA and also unmasked N2O reduction in NR. By comparison, increasing doses of the narcotic standard morphine reduced NSA and NR; these changes in NSA and NR were sensitive to antagonism by naloxone. The benzodiazepine standard diazepam produced a dose-related reduction in NR while reducing NSA only at higher doses. These data indicate that N2O influences on NSA and NR resemble neither morphine nor diazepam. In addition, it appears that the opioid activity of N2O might mask its antianxiety activity in this particular paradigm.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen GD (1979) Postgraduate dental handbook series, Vol. 1. Dental Analgesia. PSG, Littleton
Allen GD (1984) Dental anesthesia and analgesia (local and general), Third Edition. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore
Barber J, Donaldson D, Ramras S, Allen GD (1979) The relationship between nitrous oxide conscious sedation and the hypnotic state. J Am Dent Assoc 99:624–626
Berkowitz BA, Finck AD, Ngai SH (1977) Nitrous oxide analgesia: Reversal by naloxone and development of tolerance. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 203:539–547
Berkowitz BA, Ngai SH, Finck AD (1976) Nitrous oxide “analgesia”: Resemblance to opiate action. Science 194:967–968
Berkowitz BA, Finck AD, Hynes MD, Ngai SH (1979) Tolerance to nitrous oxide analgesia in rats and mice. Anesthesiology 51:309–312
Gillman MA (1984) Possible mechanisms of action of nitrous oxide at the opioid receptor. Med Hypoth 15:109–114
Gillman MA, Lichtigfeld FJ (1981) Management of alcoholic withdrawal symptoms. Br Med J 283:64
Gillman MA, Lichtigfeld FJ (1982) The treatment of alcoholic withdrawal states with oxygen and N2O. S Afr Med J 61:349–351
Gillman MA, Footerman DS, Lichtigfeld FJ (1982) Nitrous oxide as an anti-stress agent? Anesthesiology 56:234–235
Hynes MD, Berkowitz BA (1979) Nitrous oxide stimulation of locomotor activity: Evidence for an opiate-like behavior. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 209:304–308
Hynes MD, Berkowitz BA (1983) Catecholamine mechanisms in the stimulation of mouse locomotor activity by nitrous oxide and morphine. Eur J Pharmacol 90:109–114
Langa H (1976) Relative analgesia in dental practice — inhalation analgesia with nitrous oxide. Saunders, Philadelphia
Quock RM, Kouchich FJ, Tseng LF (1985) Does nitrous oxide induce release of brain opioid peptides? Pharmacology 30:95–99
Russell RW, Steinberg H (1955) Effects of nitrous oxide on reactions to “stress”. Q J Exp Psychol 7:67–73
Simiand J, Keane PE, Morre M (1984) The staircase test in mice: A simple and efficient procedure for primary screening of anxiolytic agents. Psychopharmacology 84:48–53
Smolinskii KI (1960) Use of nitrous oxide with oxygen in paroxysms of bronchial asthma. Sov Med 24:114
Steinberg H (1954) Effects of nitrous oxide on reactions to stress. Bull Br Psychol Soc 24:12
Thiebot MH, Soubrie P, Simon P, Boissier JR (1973) Dissociation de deux composantes du comportement chez le rat sous l'effet de psychotropes. Application a l'etude des anxiolytiques. Psychopharmacologia 31:77–90
Thiebot MH, Soubrie P, Simon P, Boissier JR (1976) Specificite d'action des tranquillisants mineurs dans le test de l'escalier. Relation entre ces effets et leurs proprietes anxiolytiques. J Pharmacol (Paris) 7:87–102
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Quock, R.M., Wojcechowskyj, J.A. & Emmanouil, D.E. Comparison of nitrous oxide, morphine and diazepam effects in the mouse staircase test. Psychopharmacology 92, 324–326 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210838
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210838