ScienceDaily
Your source for the latest research news
Follow Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Subscribe RSS Feeds Newsletters
New:
  • 3D Printing Metal-Plastic Composite Structures
  • 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck: Complex Trade
  • Mammoth Problem With Extinction Timeline
  • Landslide Risk Remains Long After a Quake
  • Physicists Observe Wormhole Dynamics
  • New Method of Spinal Cord Tissue Repair
  • How Giant-Faced Owls Snag Voles Hidden in Snow
  • 'Unrecyclable' Plastic Can Now Be Recycled
  • Fossil Upends Views On Origin of Modern Birds
  • Mysteriously Bright Flash Pointing Toward Earth
advertisement
Follow all of ScienceDaily's latest research news and top science headlines!
Science News
from research organizations

1

2

Active Ingredient In Cannabis Eliminates Morphine Dependence In Rats

Date:
July 15, 2009
Source:
CNRS (Délégation Paris Michel-Ange)
Summary:
Injections of THC, the active principle of cannabis, eliminate dependence on opiates (morphine, heroin) in rats deprived of their mothers at birth. The findings could lead to therapeutic alternatives to existing substitution treatments.
Share:
FULL STORY

Injections of THC, the active principle of cannabis, eliminate dependence on opiates (morphine, heroin) in rats deprived of their mothers at birth.  The findings could lead to therapeutic alternatives to existing substitution treatments.

advertisement

In order to study psychiatric disorders, neurobiologists use animal models, especially maternal deprivation models. Depriving rats of their mothers for several hours a day after their birth leads to a lack of care and to early stress. The lack of care, which takes place during a period of intense neuronal development, is liable to cause lasting brain dysfunction.

The study was carried out by Valérie Daugé and her team at the Laboratory for Physiopathology of Diseases of the Central Nervous System (UPMC / CNRS / INSERM).

Valérie Daugé's team at the Laboratory for Physiopathology of Diseases of the Central Nervous System (UPMC / CNRS / Inserm) analyzed the effects of maternal deprivation combined with injections of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main active principle in cannabis, on behavior with regard to opiates.

Previously, Daugé and her colleagues had shown that rats deprived of their mothers at birth become hypersensitive to the rewarding effect of morphine and heroin (substances belonging to the opiate family), and rapidly become dependent. In addition, there is a correlation between such behavioral disturbances linked to dependence, and hypoactivity of the enkephalinergic system, the endogenous opioid system.

To these rats, placed under stress from birth, the researchers intermittently administered increasingly high doses of THC (5 or 10 mg/kg) during the period corresponding to their adolescence (between 35 and 48 days after birth). By measuring their consumption of morphine in adulthood, they observed that, unlike results previously obtained, the rats no longer developed typical morphine-dependent behavior. Moreover, biochemical and molecular biological data corroborate these findings. In the striatum, a region of the brain involved in drug dependence, the production of endogenous enkephalins was restored under THC, whereas it diminished in rats stressed from birth which had not received THC.

Such animal models are validated for understanding the neurobiological and behavioral effects of postnatal conditions in humans. In this context, the findings point to the development of new treatments that could relieve withdrawal effects and suppress drug dependence.

The enkephalinergic system produces endogenous enkephalins, which are neurotransmitters that bind to the same receptors as opiates and inhibit pain messages to the brain.

make a difference: sponsored opportunity

Story Source:

Materials provided by CNRS (Délégation Paris Michel-Ange). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Morel et al. Adolescent Exposure to Chronic Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Blocks Opiate Dependence in Maternally Deprived Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2009; DOI: 10.1038/npp.2009.70

Cite This Page:

  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
CNRS (Délégation Paris Michel-Ange). "Active Ingredient In Cannabis Eliminates Morphine Dependence In Rats." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 July 2009. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706090440.htm>.
CNRS (Délégation Paris Michel-Ange). (2009, July 15). Active Ingredient In Cannabis Eliminates Morphine Dependence In Rats. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 1, 2022 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706090440.htm
CNRS (Délégation Paris Michel-Ange). "Active Ingredient In Cannabis Eliminates Morphine Dependence In Rats." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706090440.htm (accessed December 1, 2022).

  • RELATED TOPICS
    • Health & Medicine
      • Controlled Substances
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Medical Topics
      • Infant's Health
    • Mind & Brain
      • Opium
      • Marijuana
      • Illegal Drugs
      • Child Development
advertisement

  • RELATED TERMS
    • Opium poppy
    • Cannabis
    • Sleep deprivation
    • Opioid drug
    • Postpartum depression
    • Encephalopathy
    • Antihistamine
    • Nutrition and pregnancy
advertisement

  Print   Email   Share

advertisement

1

2

3

4

5
Most Popular
this week

HEALTH & MEDICINE
Put the Kettle On! How Black Tea (and Other Favorites) May Help Your Health Later in Life
Differences Between Brains of Primates Are Small but Significant, Study Shows
Human Evolution Wasn't Just the Sheet Music, but How It Was Played
MIND & BRAIN
525-Million-Year-Old Fossil Defies Textbook Explanation for Brain Evolution
Artificial Neural Networks Learn Better When They Spend Time Not Learning at All
Drinking During Pregnancy Changes Baby's Brain Structure
LIVING & WELL
Why Some People Are Mosquito Magnets
Wireless Earphones as Inexpensive Hearing Aids
Stop Counting Cups: There's an Ocean of Difference in Our Water-Drinking Needs
advertisement

Strange & Offbeat
 

HEALTH & MEDICINE
Green Means GO! Ultra-Violet Means STOP!
AI-Generated X-Ray Images Fooled Medical Experts and Improved Osteoarthritis Classification
Synthetic Biology Meets Medicine: 'Programmable Molecular Scissors' Could Help Fight COVID-19 Infection
MIND & BRAIN
525-Million-Year-Old Fossil Defies Textbook Explanation for Brain Evolution
Witchcraft Beliefs Are Widespread, Highly Variable Around the World, Study Finds
Artificial Neural Networks Learn Better When They Spend Time Not Learning at All
LIVING & WELL
AI Helps Researchers Design Microneedle Patches That Restore Hair in Balding Mice
Cats Distinguish Between Speech Directed at Them and Humans, Study Finds
Unlocking the Power of Our Emotional Memory
Explore More
from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES

Cannabis Impacts Sperm Counts, Motility in Two Generations of Mice
Dec. 2, 2021 — An intense but short-term exposure to cannabis vapor lowered sperm counts and slowed sperm movement, or motility, not only in the directly exposed male mice but also in their sons, according to a new ...
Cannabis Use Appears to Encourage, Not Replace, Non-Medical Opioid Use
Oct. 8, 2020 — Contrary to some claims, people in the US may not be substituting cannabis for opioids, New research examined the direction and strength of association between cannabis and opioid use among adults ...
Heating Poppy Seeds, but Not Baking Them in Muffins, Reduces Opiate Levels
May 20, 2020 — You might have heard the advice to avoid eating a poppy seed bagel or muffin before a drug screen, lest you test positive for opiates. This urban legend is rooted in truth because the tiny black ...
Few Consumers Understand THC Levels in Cannabis Edibles
Feb. 7, 2020 — Few cannabis consumers understand what the THC numbers on packages of cannabis edibles really mean, according to a new study. The study, which surveyed nearly 1,000 Canadians aged 16 to 30, found ...
advertisement


SD
  • SD
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Home
    • Home Page
    • Top Science News
    • Latest News
  • Health
    • View all the latest top news in the health sciences,
      or browse the topics below:
      Health & Medicine
      • Allergy
      • Alternative Medicine
      • Birth Control
      • Cancer
      • Diabetes
      • Diseases
      • Heart Disease
      • HIV and AIDS
      • Obesity
      • Stem Cells
      • ... more topics
      Mind & Brain
      • ADD and ADHD
      • Addiction
      • Alzheimer's
      • Autism
      • Depression
      • Headaches
      • Intelligence
      • Psychology
      • Relationships
      • Schizophrenia
      • ... more topics
      Living Well
      • Parenting
      • Pregnancy
      • Sexual Health
      • Skin Care
      • Men's Health
      • Women's Health
      • Nutrition
      • Diet and Weight Loss
      • Fitness
      • Healthy Aging
      • ... more topics
  • Tech
    • View all the latest top news in the physical sciences & technology,
      or browse the topics below:
      Matter & Energy
      • Aviation
      • Chemistry
      • Electronics
      • Fossil Fuels
      • Nanotechnology
      • Physics
      • Quantum Physics
      • Solar Energy
      • Technology
      • Wind Energy
      • ... more topics
      Space & Time
      • Astronomy
      • Black Holes
      • Dark Matter
      • Extrasolar Planets
      • Mars
      • Moon
      • Solar System
      • Space Telescopes
      • Stars
      • Sun
      • ... more topics
      Computers & Math
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Communications
      • Computer Science
      • Hacking
      • Mathematics
      • Quantum Computers
      • Robotics
      • Software
      • Video Games
      • Virtual Reality
      • ... more topics
  • Enviro
    • View all the latest top news in the environmental sciences,
      or browse the topics below:
      Plants & Animals
      • Agriculture and Food
      • Animals
      • Biology
      • Biotechnology
      • Endangered Animals
      • Extinction
      • Genetically Modified
      • Microbes and More
      • New Species
      • Zoology
      • ... more topics
      Earth & Climate
      • Climate
      • Earthquakes
      • Environment
      • Geography
      • Geology
      • Global Warming
      • Hurricanes
      • Ozone Holes
      • Pollution
      • Weather
      • ... more topics
      Fossils & Ruins
      • Ancient Civilizations
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • Dinosaurs
      • Early Humans
      • Early Mammals
      • Evolution
      • Lost Treasures
      • Origin of Life
      • Paleontology
      • ... more topics
  • Society
    • View all the latest top news in the social sciences & education,
      or browse the topics below:
      Science & Society
      • Arts & Culture
      • Consumerism
      • Economics
      • Political Science
      • Privacy Issues
      • Public Health
      • Racial Disparity
      • Religion
      • Sports
      • World Development
      • ... more topics
      Business & Industry
      • Biotechnology & Bioengineering
      • Computers & Internet
      • Energy & Resources
      • Engineering
      • Medical Technology
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Transportation
      • ... more topics
      Education & Learning
      • Animal Learning & Intelligence
      • Creativity
      • Educational Psychology
      • Educational Technology
      • Infant & Preschool Learning
      • Learning Disorders
      • STEM Education
      • ... more topics
  • Quirky
    • Top News
    • Human Quirks
    • Odd Creatures
    • Bizarre Things
    • Weird World
Free Subscriptions

Get the latest science news with ScienceDaily's free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader:

  • Email Newsletters
  • RSS Feeds
Follow Us

Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Have Feedback?

Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Have any problems using the site? Questions?

  • Leave Feedback
  • Contact Us
About This Site  |  Staff  |  Reviews  |  Contribute  |  Advertise  |  Privacy Policy  |  Editorial Policy  |  Terms of Use
Copyright 1995-2022 ScienceDaily or by other parties, where indicated. All rights controlled by their respective owners.
Content on this website is for information only. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice.
Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners.
Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated.
— CCPA: Do Not Sell My Information — GDPR: Privacy Settings —