Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl co-enzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, are widely used in the management of different diseases beyond their primary indication for lowering cholesterol. Previous studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin in different animal models. In the present study, we examined the effects of simvastatin (30, 60, 100 and 300mg/kg, p.o.) on ...

Previous studies have suggested that Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) can modulate opioid tolerance and dependence via its action on learning and memory. In this study, we examined whether CaMKII could directly regulate opioid tolerance and dependence. CaMKII activity was increased after the treatment with morphine (100 mg/kg s.c. or 75 mg s.c. of morphine/pellet/mouse); t...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ketamine and midazolam on preventing the development of morphine tolerance and dependence and withdrawal syndrome in mice. In the present study different groups of mice were received morphine (50 mg/kg, s.c.), morphine (50 mg/kg, s.c.) + ketamine (25, 50, 75 mg/kg, i.p.) , morphine (50 mg/kg , s.c.) + midazolam (0.5, 1, 2 mg/kg, i.p.) , mor...

Objective(s): Many studies have focused on ventral tegmental area than of other mesocorticolimbic areas, and implicated a key role for the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the development of addictive behaviors. So far, the role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the discriminative properties of morphine has received little attention and few studies evaluated the role of these rec...

introduction:adenosine as a potent vasodilator has physiological role in regulation of regional cerebral blood flow (rcbf). metod: laser-dِoppler flowmetry technique was used to study pial vessels blood flow responses to adenosine receptors agonists and antagonist. male sprague dawley rats (250-350g) that were housed in standard conditions, were anesthetized with urethane (1.5g/kg). adenosine (g...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of magnesium as a N-Methyl–D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor Antagnist and bromocriptine as a dopamine receptor agonist on morphine dependence and withdrawal symptoms. In the present study different groups of mice were received morphine (50 mg/kg, i.p.) for four days and on fourth day 1.5 hour after the last morphine administration they received di...

Opiates produce significant and persistent changes in synaptic transmission; knowledge of the proteins involved in these changes may help to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying opiate dependence. Using an integrated quantitative proteomics and systems biology approach, we explored changes in the presynaptic protein profile following a paradigm of chronic morphine administration that ...

OBJECTIVE Dependence and tolerance are major restricting factors in the clinical use of opioid analgesics. In the present study, the effects of thymoquinone, the major constituent of Nigella sativa seeds, on morphine dependence and tolerance were investigated in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male adult NMRI mice were made tolerant and dependent by repeated injections of morphine (50, 50, and 75...

Drug abuse and dependence have progressively become a dramatic problem in human societies. Since the exact mechanism(s) of the effect of related drugs in the brain has not been explored, therefore, this problem has not been resolved yet. Several lines of evidence indicated that nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the process of drug dependence. The role of NO within the different regio...

The aim of the present study was to investigate, in vivo, the effect of a Brugmansia arborea extract (BRU), chromatographic fractions (FA and FNA), and isolated alkaloids on the expression and the acquisition of morphine tolerance and dependence. Substances were acutely (for expression) or repeatedly (for acquisition) administered in mice treated with morphine twice daily for 5 or 6 days, in or...