Tetrahydroisoquinolines (TIQs) do not act on opiate receptors in the guinea-pig ileum.

The myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparation of the guinea-pig ileum was stimulated with supra-maximal electrical field stimulation at 0.1 Hz. The contractile response was inhibited by salsolinol (1-300 microM) and tetrahydropapaveroline (THP) (3-30 micro M) but not by (cis)-3-carboxysalsolinol. S(-)-Salsolinol was more potent than R(+)-salsolinol. The inhibition by salsolinol and THP was unchanged by naloxone (up to 10 micro M). However, naloxone completely prevented the inhibition induced by normorphine, with a pA2 of 8.66. The results indicate that salsolinol and THP do not interact with opiate receptors in this preparation.