Evidence for the involvement of an opioid system in sciatic nerve of Rana ridibunda

The effect of opioid peptide, d-alanine 2–leucine–enkephalin and opioid homolog peptide, des-tyrosine–methionine–enkephalin in concentrations of 1 × 10 −6 and 1 × 10 −5 M was investigated on the action potential parameters of frog sciatic nerve. Des-tyrosine–methionine–enkephalin was used as the control to prove the opioid action of the peptide. The effects of both peptides were examined by means of the extracellular electrophysiological technique. The isolated sciatic nerves were stimulated by single square pulses each of which lasted for 0.5 ms at supramaximal strength. Effect of each single dose of peptides at 0 min was compared with the remaining time segments. Both peptides produced changes on action potential of Rana ridibunda sciatic nerve when compared with untreated nerves. d-alanine 2–leucine–enkephalin decreased significantly the amplitude at about 34–83%, the area at about 34–92%. The same concentrations of this peptide decreased significantly the conduction velocity around 35–78%. In contrast, des-tyrosine–methionine–enkephalin reduced the action potential amplitude between 8% and 80%. The same concentrations of this peptide decreased significantly the area at about 12–76% and the conduction velocity around 42–70%. The depression of both peptides in action potential parameters was partially blocked by 1 × 10 −6 M naloxone.