Abstract
Endogenous and exogenous opiate-like compounds have been found to cause increased serum growth hormone and prolactin levels in animals, and, in some cases, humans. Naloxone, a relatively specific narcotic antagonist, decreases serum prolactin and growth hormone levels in animals. Naloxone (20 mg IV) did not significantly alter serum prolactin levels and, minimally but not significantly, increased growth hormone levels in humans to whom it was administered.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bruni, J. F., VanVogt, D., Marshall, S., Meites, J.: Effects of naloxone, morphine, and methionine enkephalin on serum prolactin, luteinizing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone and growth hormone. Life Sci. 21, 461–466 (1977)
Gold, M. S., Redmond, D. E., Donabedian, R. K.: Prolactin secretion: A measurable central effect of opiate-receptor antagonists. Lancet 1978I, 323–324
Janowsky, D. S., Judd, L. L., Huey, L., Segal, D.: Effects of naloxone in normals, manics, and schizophrenics. In: Endorphin in mental health research, E. Usdin, W. Bunney, N. Klein eds. London: MacMillan pp. 435–447 (1979)
Lien, E., Fenichel, R. L., Garsky, D., Sarantako, D., Grant, N.: Enkephalin-stimulated prolactin release. Life Sci. 19, 37–40 (1976)
Parker, D. C., Rossman, L. G., Vanderlaan, E. F.: Sleep-related nyctohmeral and briefly episodic variation in human plasma prolactin concentrations. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 36, 1119–1124 (1973)
Parker, D. C., Sassin, J. F., Mace, J. W., Cotlin, T. W., Rossman, L. G.: Human growth hormone release during sleep: Electroencephalographic correlation. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 29, 871–874 (1969)
Rivier, C., Vale, W., Ling, N., Brown, M., Guillemin, R.: Stimulation in vivo of the secretion of prolactin and growth hormone by beta-endorphin. Endocrinology 100, 238–241 (1977)
Shaar, C. J., Frederickson, R. C. A., Dininger, M. B., Jackson, L.: Enkephalin analogous and naloxone modulate the release of growth hormone and prolactin: Evidence for regulation by an endogenous opioid peptide in brain. Life Sci. 21, 853–860 (1977)
Tolis, G., Hickey, J., Guyda, H.: Effects of morphine on serum growth hormone, cortisol, prolactin, and thyroid stimulating hormone in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 41, 797–800 (1975)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Janowsky, D., Judd, L., Huey, L. et al. Naloxone effects on serum growth hormone and prolactin in man. Psychopharmacology 65, 95–97 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00491986
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00491986