In spite of the evidence suggesting that
many morphine addicts are victims of diseases
and infections, yet there is little information
about the extend of immune alterations and
whether it is uniform on all immunologic parameters
or not. In order to clarify these issues, morphine
(10 mg/kg) was administered to Sprague Dawley
rats in acute and chronic manners to have models
for addictive, abstinent and recovered rats. Immune
sttatus was assessed by variety of assays on three
important immunologic parameters. Macrophages
phagocytic power and index and uptake of Candida
albicans in opioid treated rats. Serum interleukin
concentrations and splenic weights and splenocytes.
Acute morphine administration resulted in statistically
significant reduction in phagocytic index (13 <
0.01) and interleukin 2 concentration (P < 0.002)
which was completely antagonized by opioid antagonist,
naloxone. There was no change in splenic
weights and splenocytes histologically. Chronic
morphine administration resulted in statistically
significant reduction in phagocytic index of macrophages
(P < 0.01) and it was still diminished in
abstinent rats (p < 0.01). IL-2 concentrations
were also significantly reduced (0 < 0.002) in chronic
morphine treatment, yet it shuwed sudden
increase in abstinent rats and reached nearly the
control levels. For splenic lymphocytes chronic
morphine administration induced suppression of
lymphocytic mass and splenic weights. |
