| RESEARCH PAPER |
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| Year : 2004 | Volume
: 36
| Issue : 6 | Page : 369-372 |
Study of the antinociceptive activity of fluoxetine and its interaction with morphine and naloxone in mice
PN Kurlekar1, Jagat D Bhatt2
1 Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Baroda - 390 001, India
2 Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Baroda - 390 001
Correspondence Address:
Jagat D Bhatt
Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Baroda - 390 001
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
OBJECTIVE: To study the probable site of the antinociceptive action of fluoxetine and its interaction with morphine and naloxone.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The antinociceptive activity of fluoxetine was studied using tail-flick method in the absence and presence of naloxone in mice. Different doses of fluoxetine (2, 5 and 10 mg/kg) and morphine (0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) were administered subcutaneously to select the subanalgesic doses for both. Subanalgesic doses of both the drugs were administered simultaneously to study their interaction on tail-flick latency.
RESULTS: Fluoxetine and morphine produced a dose-dependent antinociceptive action. Combination of the subanalgesic dose of both fluoxetine (2 mg/kg) and morphine (0.5 mg/kg) produced an additive effect. Naloxone in a dose of 1 mg/kg produced a significant (P<0. 001) hyperalgesia at time intervals of 15, 30 and 60 min while in a dose of 2 mg/kg it produced significant (P<0. 001) hyperalgesia at time intervals of 30, 60 and 120 min. Naloxone (2 mg/kg) pretreatment significantly reduced the antinociception produced by fluoxetine.
CONCLUSION: Analgesia produced by fluoxetine may be mediated by 'micro' opioid receptor, however, mechanisms involving other endogenous opioid peptides could not be ruled out. Fluoxetine as a monotherapy or in combination with other opioids could be useful in the management of pain.
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