Effects of morphine and related drugs on core temperature of two strains of rat.

The changes in core temperature induced by low (5 mg/kg) and high (40 mg/kg) doses of morphine were compared in Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats. In Sprague-Dawley rats the low dose caused a hyperthermia and the high dose a hypothermia but in Wistar rats both doses caused a hyperthermia. In either case the change in core temperature was antagonized by naloxone (2 mg/kg). Tolerance to the effects of the high dose of morphine developed in both strains of rat. Dextromoramide (3.75 and 15 mg/kg) also had an effect on core temperature, but in this case the responses of the strains were opposite to those seen with morphine. Laevomoramide was relatively ineffective. Naloxone (2 mg/kg) had no effect on the ability of rats of either strain to withstand heat or cold stress, providing no evidence that endogenous morphine-like substances have a physiological role in thermoregulation.