The pharmacological profile of delta opioid receptor ligands, (+) and (-) TAN-67 on pain modulation.

We designed the nonpeptidic highly selective delta opioid receptor agonist on the basis of message address concept and the accessory site theory and synthesized (+/-) TAN-67. In spite of highly potent agonistic activity in in vitro assay, (+/-) TAN-67 (racemate) afforded a weak antinociceptive effect in the mouse tail-flick test. This result led us to separate (+/-) TAN-67 to optical pure compounds, (+) and (-) TAN-67. An i.t.-treatment with (-) TAN-67 produced profound antinociceptive effects through specifically acting on delta1 receptors. Unlike (-) TAN-67, i.t.-administered (+) TAN-67 displayed dose-related nociceptive behaviors such as scratching, biting and licking. The effect of (+) TAN-67 was blocked by i.t.-treatment with NTI (delta receptor antagonist) and (-) TAN-67 (delta1 receptor agonist), but not by morphine (mu receptor agonist). The mechanisms involved in spinal pain modulation induced by (+) and (-) TAN-67 were also described.