Antagonism of kappa opioid mediated effects in the rat by cyclo(Leu-Gly)

The effect of cyclo(Leu-Gly) on U-50,488H- induced pharmacological actions was determined in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of U-50,488H to rats produced analgesia (tail-flick) and increased urinary output. Cyclo (Leu-Gly) antagonized the analgesic response to U-50,488H. A dose of 10 mg/kg (i.p.) of U-50,488H increased the spontaneous urinary output which was anatagonized by cyclo (Leu-Gly). To determine whether cyclo (Leu-Gly) was acting as a kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, the effect of cyclo (Leu-Gly) on the binding of [3H] ethylketocyclazoncine (EKC) to membranes of rat cerebral cortex and spinal cord was determined. The IC50 values of cyclo(Leu-Gly) in displacing [3H]EKC from its binding sites in cortex and spinal cord were 1.44 and 0.40 mM, respectively. Chronic administration of U-50,488H for 4 days induced tolerance to its analgesic effect. The latter was not affected by cyclo(Leu-Gly) given once a day for 4 days. It is concluded that cyclo(Leu-Gly) antagonizes acute actions of U-50,488H and that such effects of cyclo(Leu-Gly) are not mediated via a direct action on kappa-opioid receptors