the effect of methadone and haloperidol combination on anxiety induced by morphine withdrawal in male mice

background and objective: regarding inefficiency of common drugs used for alleviation of anxiety due to narcotics withdrawal, the present study was evaluated methadone and haloperidol co-drugs therapy on anxiety due to morphine withdrawal. materials and methods: ninety eight nmri male mice were divided into acute and chronic experimental groups. then, each group was divided into 7 subgroups: saline, morphine (control), methadone, haloperidol, methadone+haloperidol, methadone+haloperidol with 2/1 and 1/2 ratio, respectively. mice were addicted chronically (over 8 days) by receiving escalating doses of morphine and acute (morphine was applied only on 8th day) procedures. anxiety was induced by naloxone application in addicted mice. elevated plus-maze and open field tests were used for evaluation of anxiety. results: obtained data showed that in both chronic and acute groups, treatment with co-drugs methadone and haloperidol could markedly alleviate anxiety signs produced by interruption of morphine consumption. conclusion: we found out that the anxiety as a major sign of morphine withdrawal sign could be diminished by methadone+haloperidol therapy versus drugs alone.