The antinociceptive effects of
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA) in the rat
by
Crisp T, Stafinsky JL, Boja JW, Schechter MD.
Department of Pharmacology,
Northeastern Ohio Universities,
College of Medicine, Rootstown 44272.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1989 Nov;34(3):497-501

ABSTRACT

The antinociceptive effects of MDMA and morphine were examined in rats using the tail-flick and hot-plate analgesiometric tests. MDMA, in the dose range of 1.5-6.0 mg/kg IP, produced a dose-dependent elevation in hot-plate latency, but did not elevate tail-flick latency. In contrast, morphine (2-8 mg/kg, IP) produced analgesia on both the tail-flick and hot-plate tests in a dose-dependent manner. Neither the opiate antagonist naltrexone nor the adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine effectively attenuated MDMA-induced analgesia. Conversely, the serotonin antagonist methysergide significantly reversed the analgesic effects of MDMA on the hot-plate test. These findings suggest that the antinociceptive effects of MDMA are serotonergically mediated. Furthermore, the results verify earlier findings describing the test-specific effects of serotonin-induced pain modulation.

Mice
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Monkeys
MDMA/MDE
Ecstatic rats
Controversies
Protect and survive
Ecstasy and young rats
Ecstasy and serotonin synthesis