Summary
The urinary excretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline was increased during the first few days of morphine administration in rats.
Following the initial rise, the urinary excretion of both amines decreased during one week of treatment with the same dose (tolerance phenomenon); however, on increasing the morphine dose, the cyclic pattern of initial rise and subsequent fall in catecholamine excretion reappeared.
During abstinence after three weeks of morphine administration, the animals where markedly irritable and presented characteristic vegetative symptoms. At the same time there was an increased excretion of adrenaline, amounting to 15 times normal, and a twofold rise of the noradrenaline excretion, both lasting for about 10 days.
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Gunne, L.M. The excretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline in the urine of rats during chronic morphine administration and during abstinence. Psychopharmacologia 2, 214–220 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407982
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407982