-
Views
-
Cite
Cite
Domenico Cozzolino, Ferdinando C. Sasso, Donato Cataldo, Domenico Gruosso, Armando Giammarco, Antonella Cavalli, Cristiana Di Maggio, Giuseppe Renzo, Teresa Salvatore, Dario Giugliano, Roberto Torella, Acute Pressor and Hormonal Effects of β-Endorphin at High Doses in Healthy and Hypertensive Subjects: Role of Opioid Receptor Agonism, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 90, Issue 9, 1 September 2005, Pages 5167–5174, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2004-2554
Close - Share Icon Share
Abstract
Context: The opioid system is involved in blood pressure regulation in both normal humans and patients with essential hypertension.
Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of a high-dose infusion of β-endorphin, an opioid peptide, on blood pressure and on the hormonal profile in healthy subjects and in hypertensive patients and the mediation played by opioid receptor agonism.
Design, Setting, and Participants: According to a randomized double-blind design, 11 healthy subjects (controls) and 12 hypertensive inpatients (mean age, 38.9 and 40.4 yr, respectively) received 1-h iv infusion of β-endorphin (250 μg/h) and, on another occasion, the same infusion protocol preceded by the opioid antagonist naloxone (8 mg).
Main Outcome Measures: Hemodynamic and hormonal measurements were performed at established times during the infusion protocols.
Results: At baseline, circulating β-endorphin, norepinephrine, and endothelin-1 in hypertensive patients were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in controls. In controls, β-endorphin reduced blood pressure (P < 0.01) and circulating norepinephrine (P < 0.02) and increased plasma atrial natriuretic factor (P < 0.003) and GH (P < 0.0001). In hypertensive patients, β-endorphin decreased systemic vascular resistance (P < 0.0001), blood pressure (P < 0.0001), and plasma norepinephrine (P < 0.0001) and endothelin-1 (P < 0.0001) and raised circulating atrial natriuretic factor (P < 0.0001), GH (P < 0.0001), and IGF-I (P < 0.0001). These hemodynamic and hormonal responses to β-endorphin in hypertensive patients were significantly (P < 0.0001) greater than in controls but were annulled in all individuals when naloxone preceded β-endorphin infusion.
Conclusions: High doses of β-endorphin induce hypotensive and beneficial hormonal effects in humans, which are enhanced in essential hypertension and are mediated by opioid receptors.
