Naloxone and Anterior Pituitary Hormones: Effect on TRH Stimulation Test

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Abstract
A specific opiate antagonist, naloxone, administered i.v. to 5 normal men at the doses of 0.4 mg or 0.8 mg in bolus, did not modify basal (PRL), growth hormone, TSH and FSH levels, but significantly increased basal lutropin concentrations at the dose of 0.8 mg. Naloxone at both doses was also able to significantly enhance the response of TSH to a TRH stimulation test (TRH 400 .mu.g i.v. in bolus) but did not alter significantly the PRL response. Endogenous opioid peptides may have an influence on the modulation of lutropin secretion in basal conditions and on the responsiveness of TSH to dynamic stimulation by TRH.