Effects
of Alprazolam and Fluoxetine on Morphine
Sensitization in Mice
M.
VOTAVA, M. KRŠIAK, V. MORAVEC
Department of Pharmacology, Third Faculty of
Medicine, Charles University, Prague,
Czech Republic
Received October 8, 2001
Accepted December 4, 2001
Summary
Benzodiazepines seem to be frequently
abused in conjunction with opioids. Fluoxetine
was reported to block morphine locomotor
sensitization in rats. Sensitization has been
implicated in some aspects of drug abuse. We have
investigated the effect of alprazolam (0.25
mg/kg) and fluoxetine (5 mg/kg) on the
development and expression of sensitization to
the locomotor stimulant effect of morphine (10
mg/kg) in mice. Sensitization was produced by
daily injections of morphine (10 mg/kg) for 10
days. There was a clear sensitization of
locomotor activity produced by morphine in
photocell activity cages but co-administration of
alprazolam with morphine had no effect on the
degree of sensitization. Alprazolam was also
without effect on the expression of the
sensitized response to morphine in mice
sensitized with morphine alone. Fluoxetine partly
reduced both the development and expression of
morphine sensitization. In conclusion, the
present experiments have not yielded evidence
that alprazolam may influence the development or
the expression of sensitization to morphine.
However, they have corroborated and extended
results indicating that fluoxetine can attenuate,
to a certain level, the development and
expression of morphine sensitization.
Key
words
Morphine
· Alprazolam · Fluoxetine · Sensitization ·
Locomotion
Reprint
requests
M. Kršiak, Department of Pharmacology, Third
Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská
87, 100 00, Prague 10, Czech Republic. fax: +420
2 67102461. e-mail: miloslav.krsiak@lf3.cuni.cz
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