Effects of spinal cholecystokinin receptor antagonists on morphine antinociception in a model of visceral pain in the rat.

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of spinal cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonists on morphine antinociception in a model of visceral nociception, colorectal distension, in rats with chronic colonic inflammation and vehicle-treated controls. Three to five days after intracolonic instillation of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS), an enhanced visceromotor response to all pressures of colorectal distension (10-80 mm Hg) was evident. The ED(50) of intrathecal morphine (0.93 microgram) in vehicle-treated rats produced significantly greater antinociception in TNBS-treated rats. Intrathecal proglumide, a nonselective CCK receptor antagonist, dose dependently enhanced the antinociceptive effect of morphine in vehicle-treated rats, but not in TNBS-treated rats. Similarly, L-365, 260, a specific CCK(B) receptor antagonist, dose dependently increased morphine's antinociceptive effects in vehicle-treated rats but had no effect in rats with TNBS-induced colonic inflammation. L-364,718, a specific CCK(A) receptor antagonist, had no effect on morphine antinociception in either vehicle-treated or TNBS-treated rats. These data indicate that CCK, acting at the CCK(B) receptor, is involved in modulating morphine antinociception following a noxious visceral stimulus. However, CCK receptor antagonists no longer enhance morphine antinociception after instillation of intracolonic TNBS, suggesting that visceral inflammation may lead to a reduction in spinal CCK release.