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Acetylcholine antirelease effect of morphine and its modification by calcium

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Abstract

The effects of morphine (10 mg/kg) and calcium (10 mg/kg) were studied on the neocortical release of acetylcholine (ACh) in ketamine-anesthetized rats. Morphine decreased ACh release as measured by the dorsal leech muscle as well as by an enzymatic assay. Calcium was ineffective alone but antagonized the action of morphine. This study supports the hypothesis that the ACh antirelease action of narcotics is mediated through an interaction with calcium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, G1K 7P4, Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada

    G. Sanfaçon & G. Labrecque

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  1. G. Sanfaçon
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  2. G. Labrecque
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Additional information

A preliminary communication describing some aspects of this study was presented before the Canadian Federation of Biological Societies, Halifax, June 1976 (Labrecque et al., 1976)

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Sanfaçon, G., Labrecque, G. Acetylcholine antirelease effect of morphine and its modification by calcium. Psychopharmacology 55, 151–156 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01457851

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01457851

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