Urinary sex-dependent low molecular weight proteins as a sign of narcotic dependence in male rats.
The relationship between urinary excretion of sex-dependent low molecular weight proteins (LMWP) in male rats and narcotic dependence has been investigated in this study. Chronic administration of codeine (0.5 mg/g food) caused a significant decrease in urinary excretion of LMWP from the third day, without any change in urinary high molecular weight proteins. The decrease recovered to the control level after the withdrawal of codeine. Withdrawal symptoms including loss of body weight and diarrhea were observed following codeine withdrawal. In animals chronically treated with pethidine (1.0 mg/g food), however, neither changes in urinary LMWP excretion nor withdrawal symptoms were observed. These present findings suggest that the decrease in urinary excretion of sex-dependent LMWP is related to narcotic dependence in male rats, since we previously reported the decrease in urinary excreted LMWP in morphine-dependent rats.