Abstract
Iv administration of oxytocin decreases plasma ACTH-cortisol levels in normal men. In contrast, naloxone, a specific opioid antagonist, stimulates cortisol release, suggesting that opioid peptides exert an inhibitory control on ACTH-cortisol secretion. The present study was carried out in an attempt to determine whether an opioid pathway mediates oxytocin action; therefore, we evaluated the effect of naloxone on the decrease of cortisol induced by oxytocin. Six normal men were treated iv with oxytocin (2 IU as a bolus), naloxone (4 mg as a bolus plus 10 mg infused for 2 h) or a combination of the 2 drugs. Plasma cortisol levels were determined in samples taken before and 2 h after drug treatment. As expected, administration of oxytocin significantly decreased cortisol secretion, while naloxone had a stimulatory effect on plasma cortisol levels. When oxytocin injection was followed by administration of naloxone, cortisol levels remained unchanged; thus, naloxone abolished a cortisol decrement in response to oxytocin. These findings show that in man oxytocin requires an active opioid system in order to produce its inhibitory action on ACTH-cortisol secretion, suggesting that this effect of oxytocin could be mediated by an opioid pathway.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 261-265 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Acta Endocrinologica |
| Volume | 108 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 1985 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology
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Effect of naloxone on oxytocin-induced cortisol decrease in normal men. / Coiro, V.; Chiodera, P.; Rossi, G.; Volpi, R.; Salvi, M.; Camellini, L.; Roti, E.
In: Acta Endocrinologica, Vol. 108, No. 2, 1985, p. 261-265.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of naloxone on oxytocin-induced cortisol decrease in normal men
AU - Coiro, V.
AU - Chiodera, P.
AU - Rossi, G.
AU - Volpi, R.
AU - Salvi, M.
AU - Camellini, L.
AU - Roti, E.
PY - 1985
Y1 - 1985
N2 - Iv administration of oxytocin decreases plasma ACTH-cortisol levels in normal men. In contrast, naloxone, a specific opioid antagonist, stimulates cortisol release, suggesting that opioid peptides exert an inhibitory control on ACTH-cortisol secretion. The present study was carried out in an attempt to determine whether an opioid pathway mediates oxytocin action; therefore, we evaluated the effect of naloxone on the decrease of cortisol induced by oxytocin. Six normal men were treated iv with oxytocin (2 IU as a bolus), naloxone (4 mg as a bolus plus 10 mg infused for 2 h) or a combination of the 2 drugs. Plasma cortisol levels were determined in samples taken before and 2 h after drug treatment. As expected, administration of oxytocin significantly decreased cortisol secretion, while naloxone had a stimulatory effect on plasma cortisol levels. When oxytocin injection was followed by administration of naloxone, cortisol levels remained unchanged; thus, naloxone abolished a cortisol decrement in response to oxytocin. These findings show that in man oxytocin requires an active opioid system in order to produce its inhibitory action on ACTH-cortisol secretion, suggesting that this effect of oxytocin could be mediated by an opioid pathway.
AB - Iv administration of oxytocin decreases plasma ACTH-cortisol levels in normal men. In contrast, naloxone, a specific opioid antagonist, stimulates cortisol release, suggesting that opioid peptides exert an inhibitory control on ACTH-cortisol secretion. The present study was carried out in an attempt to determine whether an opioid pathway mediates oxytocin action; therefore, we evaluated the effect of naloxone on the decrease of cortisol induced by oxytocin. Six normal men were treated iv with oxytocin (2 IU as a bolus), naloxone (4 mg as a bolus plus 10 mg infused for 2 h) or a combination of the 2 drugs. Plasma cortisol levels were determined in samples taken before and 2 h after drug treatment. As expected, administration of oxytocin significantly decreased cortisol secretion, while naloxone had a stimulatory effect on plasma cortisol levels. When oxytocin injection was followed by administration of naloxone, cortisol levels remained unchanged; thus, naloxone abolished a cortisol decrement in response to oxytocin. These findings show that in man oxytocin requires an active opioid system in order to produce its inhibitory action on ACTH-cortisol secretion, suggesting that this effect of oxytocin could be mediated by an opioid pathway.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 2982243
AN - SCOPUS:0021959942
VL - 108
SP - 261
EP - 265
JO - Acta Endocrinologica
JF - Acta Endocrinologica
SN - 0001-5598
IS - 2
ER -