ABSTRACT
Previous studies, have been shown the anti-inflammatory effects of the trifluoperazine. The present study was performed to investigate the role of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis activity as a possible mechanism for these effects. This experimental study was carried out on 100 male rats. Inflammation was induced by intraplantar injection of 0.1 ml of 0.5% carrageenan solution in to the rat's left hind paw. Rats were divided randomly into three groups of control, the adrenalectomized [ADX] and the CRH antagonist receiving group. Adrenalectomy was performed bilaterally on the rats. The CRH antagonist at 20 micro g/rat was administered intraventriculary, and Trifluoperazine [0.2 and 8 mg/kg] was used intraperitoneally [i.p] on the rats. Four hours after injections, paw edema was assessed by calculating the volume changes and extravasations of Evans blue dye. Furthermore, the serum levels of prolactin and ACTH were measured. Both doses of trifluoperazine significantly reduced the paw volume and tissue content of Evans blue dye in the control and ADX rats. Therefore, the paw edema induced by carrageenan, was reduced in the control and ADX groups by 48% and 65%, and the tissue content of Evans blue dye was decreased by 60% and 20% respectively. In the CRH antagonist receiving rats, different doses of drug reduced the volume of inflamed paw by 50%. Adrenalectomy induced an increase in the ACTH level 9 times more than control and both doses of the trifluoperazine blocked this elevation by 82%. Adrenalectomy procedure had no significant influence on plasma level of prolactin. These results suggest that trifluoperazine may have an in-vivo anti-inflammatory effect on experimental model, which possibly is independent of HPA axis activity
ABSTRACT
Few studies concerning the effects of opioid drugs on the function of immune system have been conducted and conflicting results have been reported. This study evaluates the in-vitro immune responses of drug abusers and investigates the pattern of production of IFN- gamma and IL-10 which represents the subsets of CD4 +T-helper cells Blood samples were taken from healthy drug addicted volunteers. Blood samples were also taken from healthy individuals with no history of drug abuse as control. Cell culture was performed in whole blood culture assay. Diluted blood samples were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin [PHA] and lipopolysaccharide [LPS] and the supernatants were collected to measure the cytokine production. The results demonstrated that a significant decrease in IFN- gamma production and increase in IL-10 production in heroin addicts, whereas the production of these cytokines in opium addicts was not significantly different from those in control group. The results indicated a significant decrease in mitogenic responsiveness of T-cells in heroin addicts relative to control group, whereas mitogenic responsiveness of T-cells in opium addicts was not significantly different from control group