ABSTRACT
Many studies have suggested that diabetes or hyperglycemia affects the sensitivity of laboratory animals to various pharmacological agents. Several reports have demonstrated an increased sensitivity of hyperglycemic or diabetic animals to barbiturates (Lamson, Greig, and Hobdy, 1951 ; Strother, Throckmorton, and Herzer, 1971 ; Ackerman and Leibman, 1975 ; Ackerman 1976; Strother, 1979) and a decreased sensitivity to D-amphetamine (Fernando and Cuzon 1974; Marshall, Friedman, and Heffner, 1976, 1978; Marshall, 1978a,b), pchloroamphetamine (MacKenzie and Trulson, 1978) and carbon tetrachloride (Hanazono, Cote, and Plaa, 1975; Hanazono, Witschi, and Plaa, 1975). The first definitive evidence indicating that mice and rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and spontaneously diabetic mice are significantly less sensitive than non-diabetic mice to the antinociceptive effect of morphine was obtained by Simon and Dewey (1981) and Simon, Borzelleca, and Dewey (1981). However, there is little information available regarding the mechanism responsible for these changes in the potency of morphine. This chapter provides an overview of our current understanding of the effects streptozotocin-induced diabetes on opioidinduced antinociception. The mechanisms of the changes in the potency of morphineinduced antinociception are also discussed.
