| RESEARCH ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2013 | Volume
: 45
| Issue : 3 | Page : 227-231 |
Differences in morphine-induced antinociception in male and female offspring born of morphine exposed mothers
Masoomeh Biglarnia1, Manizheh Karami2, Zahra Khodabakhshi Hafshejani1
1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahed University; Neurophysiology Research Center of Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Correspondence Address:
Manizheh Karami
Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahed University; Neurophysiology Research Center of Shahed University, Tehran
Iran
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.111904
Objective: Antinociceptive effect of morphine in offspring born of mothers that received saline or morphine during the gestation period was investigated.
Materials and Methods: Wistar rats (200-250 g) received saline, morphine 0.5 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg during gestation days 14-16. All pups after weaning were isolated treatment/sex dependently and were allowed to fully mature. The antinociceptive effect of morphine was assessed in formalin test. Morphine (0.5-7.5 mg/kg) or saline (1 ml/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 10 min before formalin (50 μl of 2.5% solution in right hind-paw).
Results: Male offspring born of saline-treated mothers were less morphine-sensitive than females. On the contrary, male offspring exposed prenatally to morphine (5 mg/kg) were more sensitive to morphine-induced antinociceptive response in formalin test. However, no difference in antinociceptive effect was observed amongst offspring of either sex born of mothers treated with morphine 0.5 mg/kg, identifying a lower dose effect of the opioid.
Conclusion: The exposure to morphine during the developmental period may result in altered development of tolerance to morphine and thus involved in drug abuse.
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