The antinociceptive and motivational effects of intranigral injection of opioid agonists

The antinociceptive potency of morphine and the morphine metabolite morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) was examined after injection into the substantia nigra and periaqueductal gray (PAG) of rats. Both drugs produced antinociception in both sites. The antinociceptive potency of M6G was significantly greater than morphine in the nigra. There was no difference in the antinociceptive potency of M6G in the nigra and PAG. M6G and other opioids were also examined for motivational effects after intranigral injection. A high dose of intranigral morphine (10.0 nmol) produced a conditioned place preference. No significant motivational effects were produced by 1.0 nmol of M6G, d-Ala 2, N-Me-Phe 4, Gly 5-ol-enkephalin (DAGO), d-Pen 2, d-Pen 5-enkephalin (DPDPE), or U-50,488H. It is concluded that the substantia nigra plays an important role in opioid antinociception. The role of the nigra in opioid reward is questionable.