ADRENAL CATECHOLAMINES AND RELATED CHANGES DURING DIFFERENT PHASES OF MORPHINE ADMINISTRATION—A HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Abstract

— (1) Acute morphine treatment of rats reduced the total catecholamine content as well as the noradrenaline content of the adrenal gland. This was accompanied by increased ATPase activity and increased calcium content of the medullary cells. (2) After chronic morphine treatment, the total catecholamine content remained more or less unaltered, but the noradrenaline content was markedly increased together with the noradrenaline‐containing areas, in comparison with what was observed in control animals. The ATPase activity of the medullary cells was found to be diminished along with the decreased calcium content. (3) In nalorphine‐induced abstinence, a decrease in total catecholamine content together with a reduction of noradrenaline content and of noradrenaline‐containing areas were observed. ATPase activity was also found to be increased with increased calcium content.