Effects of 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Depletions of Brain Catecholamines or Dopamine on Meperidine Antinociception in Rats

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Abstract
The participation of brain norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) in the production of the antinociceptive effect of meperidine was investigated. Rats were permanently depleted of brain catecholamines via 6-hydroxydopamine treatments at 2 weeks of age. 6–8 weeks later, the antinociceptive activity of meperidine was determined in control, NE- and DA-depleted, and DA-depleted rats by both the tail-flick and hot-plate methods. The antinociceptive activity of meperidine was reduced in DA-depleted male rats. In DA-depleted female rats, however, the antinociceptive activity was increased at low doses of meperidine and decreased only at higher doses of the drug. In male NE + DA-depleted rats, the activity was generally intermediate between that seen in DA-depleted and control rats. No consistent change in the activity of meperidine was observed in female NE + DA-depleted rats.

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