Articles: narcotic-antagonists.
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Anticancer research · Aug 2009
Methylnaltrexone, a peripherally acting opioid receptor antagonist, enhances tumoricidal effects of 5-Fu on human carcinoma cells.
Methylnaltrexone, a novel peripherally acting opioid receptor antagonist, is used to treat opiate-induced constipation in cancer patients. Its effects on the activities of chemotherapeutic agents, however, have not been evaluated. In this study, the effect of methylnaltrexone on the action of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was tested in three human cancer cell lines. ⋯ At its therapeutic concentrations for opioid-induced constipation, methylnaltrexone does not attenuate and in fact may enhance the tumoricidal activity of 5-FU. Enhanced 5-FU activity may be attributed to the distinct pathways of 5-FU and methylnaltrexone, an effect that could give methylnaltrexone a complementary role in the treatment of cancer with chemotherapeutic agents.
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J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol · Aug 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialEfficacy of oral naltrexone on pruritus in atopic eczema: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
The intent of our study was to determine the efficacy of oral naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, in the treatment of pruritus in patients with chronic eczema. ⋯ Naltrexone is more effective than placebo in the treatment of pruritus in patient with eczema. Naltrexone might be considered as an adjunct treatment in the treatment of pruritus. However, further studies in this aspect are highly fostered.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Aug 2009
Comparative StudyRat dorsal horn nociceptive-specific neurons are more sensitive than wide dynamic range neurons to depression by immobilizing doses of volatile anesthetics: an effect partially reversed by the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone.
The mechanism and site of action within the spinal cord by which volatile anesthetics produce immobility are not well understood. Little work has been done directly comparing anesthetic effects on neurons with specific functional characteristics that mediate transfer of nociceptive information within the spinal cord. ⋯ NS but not WDR neurons in the lumbar dorsal horn are depressed by peri-MAC increases of halothane and isoflurane. This depression, at least with halothane, can be partially reversed by the opioid antagonist naloxone. Given that opioid receptors are not likely involved in the mechanisms by which volatile anesthetics produce immobility, this suggests that, although the neuronal depression is of substantial magnitude and occurs concurrent to the production of immobility, it may not play a major role in the production of this anesthetic end point.
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Comparative Study
Comparing retention in treatment and mortality in people after initial entry to methadone and buprenorphine treatment.
AIM To compare retention in treatment and mortality among people entering methadone and buprenorphine treatment for opioid dependence. ⋯ Buprenorphine was safer during induction. Despite shorter retention in treatment, buprenorphine maintenance was not associated with higher risk of death.