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Efficacy and safety of fixed-dose and dose-optimization regimens of sublingual apomorphine versus placebo in men with erectile dysfunction. The Apomorphine Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: A sublingual (SL) formulation of apomorphine has been developed and found effective in penile erectile dysfunction (ED). This study assessed the efficacy and safety of several doses of apomorphine SL in a dose-optimization schedule compared with placebo. METHODS: In this 8-week, multicenter, double-blind clinical trial, 569 patients were randomized to four groups: a dose-optimization group in which patients began with 2 mg, increased or decreased the dosage as needed for 4 weeks, and thereafter maintained an optimal dose for 4 weeks; two fixed-dose groups of either 5 or 6 mg; and a placebo group. Efficacy was assessed by patient and partner responses to home-use questionnaires about sexual function and activity and by responses to the International Index of Erectile Function and the Brief Sexual Function Inventory. RESULTS: In all apomorphine SL groups, a significantly higher percentage of patients compared with the placebo group achieved and maintained an erection firm enough for intercourse (48% to 53% versus 35% for placebo, P < or =0.001) and a significantly higher percentage of attempts resulted in intercourse (45% to 51% versus 33%, P < or =0.001). The responses to the questionnaires completed by the patients and partners were similar. Apomorphine SL was well tolerated; nausea, the most common side effect, was dose related and diminished substantially during the second 4-week period at all doses. The dose-optimization schedule resulted in fewer adverse events without impacting efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Apomorphine SL is an effective and safe treatment for ED, with 2 and 4 mg providing the most acceptable therapeutic index.

Administration, Sublingual↗

Apomorphine stereotypies and transmitter mechanisms in the striatum. I. Changes in the apomorphine stereotypies caused by drugs acting on the GABA-ergic, dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission.

Experiments on male albino mice were carried out in order to determine the effects of drugs connecting with the GABA-ergic, dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission, on apomorphine stereotypies. The agents acting on GABA-ergic transmission are found to reduce the intensity of apomorphine stereotypies in the following order (arranged from strongest to weakest effect and expressed in doses of microgram per mouse: GABA (100), aminooxyacetic acid (5), diazepam (20), picrotoxin (1), GABA (10), semicarbazide (30), picrotoxin (0.1). The agents acting on the dopaminergic transmission also reduce apomorphine stereotypies in the following order: haloperidol (20;2), L-DOPA (500 mg/kg, i. p.), alpha-methylparatyrosine (150 mg/kg, i. p.) diethyldithiocarbamate (200). The strongest antagonistic effect in the two groups of agents studied was found for haloperidol. The agents acting on the cholinergic transmission (agonists and antagonists of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinoreceptors) have no significant effect on apomorphine stereotypies. It is assumed that the striatum is not the only brain structure responsible for apomorphine stereotypies.

Aminooxyacetic Acid↗

Effects of treatments with apomorphine, haloperidol and ethanol on apomorphine-induced changes in body temperature in the rat.

In previous research, we discovered two DA-related thermoregulatory mechanisms in the rat: a haloperidol-sensitive, hypothermia-inducing mechanism and a haloperidol-nonsensitive, hyperthermia-inducing mechanism. The latter mechanism must also involve serotonin, since its activity can be blocked by serotonin antagonists. We have now found that the responsiveness of these mechanisms to apomorphine could be selectively affected by acute pretreatments with apomorphine, haloperidol and ethanol. The hypothermia-inducing mechanism was supersensitized by pretreatment with either haloperidol (0.25 mg/kg, administered 5 days earlier) or ethanol (3 g/kg, 15 h), but was not affected by pretreatment with apomorphine (1 mg/kg, 15h). In contrast, the hyperthermia-inducing mechanism was supersensitized and desensitized by similar pretreatments with apomorphine and ethanol, respectively, but was not affected by pretreatment with haloperidol.

Animals↗

Subcutaneous injections of apomorphine, stimulus generalization and conditioning: serious pitfalls for the examiner using apomorphine as a tool.

This report shows that stimulus generalization occurs in rats conditioned by a single injection of apomorphine. The data suggest that apomorphine initially acts as an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) of an unconditioned response (UCR) that, in turn, produces stimuli which become conditioned stimuli (CS) of a conditioned response (CR) having a nature identical to that of the UCR. The study also shows that behaviour elicited by a subcutaneous injection of apomorphine depends on the part of the body selected for administration. The mentioned properties should be taken into account when apomorphine is used as a tool in studies on brain and behaviour.

Animals↗

[Effects of hypothalamus and globus pallidus lesions and of apomorphine injections into the globus pallidus, caudate nucleus, substantia nigra and septum on the aggressive behavior induced by apomorphine treatment of rats (author's transl)].

Intraspecific apomorphine-induced aggressive behavior in the rat was not affected following electrolytic lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus. Some inhibition of the aggressive behavior was found after lateral lesions and an almost total suppression after destruction of globus pallidus. These results, as well as those following localized injections of apomorphine into the septum, substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, and globus pallidus suggested that the latter anatomical region may be the major site of the action of apomorphine in the behavior studies. The role of acetylcholine is discussed.

Aggression↗

NPY-mRNA expressions in the nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen and cerebral cortex of apomorphine-susceptible and apomorphine-unsusceptible rats.

Using the apomorphine-induced stereotyped gnawing response as a selection criterion, two distinct groups of rats can be distinguished, apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) and apomorphine-unsusceptible (APO-UNSUS) rats. These two lines differ in several components of both striatal and extrastriatal areas. This study deals with the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY)mRNA-expressing neurons in the nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen and cerebral cortex of both rat lines, using non-radioactive in situ hybridisation. The morphology of the neurons in the three regions is similar, viz. oblong, rectangular or triangular, with two or three processes. The neurons are homogeneously distributed in all regions, and in the nucleus accumbens they are particularly numerous ventrally to the anterior commissure. Using automated image analysis, the mean numerical density of NPYmRNA-positive neurons per brain region and the mean NPYmRNA expression level per neuron per brain region were determined. No differences appear in the numerical densities of NPYmRNA-containing neurons in the nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen and cortex between APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats. However, distinct differences between the rat lines are present in the level of NPYmRNA expression per neuron in the nucleus accumbens and in the caudate putamen, showing that NPY contributes to the differential neurochemical make-up of these rat lines that is responsible for their obvious differences in behaviour, physiology and immune competence.

Animals↗

Facilitation by alpha-adrenolytics of apomorphine gnawing behavior: depression of threshold apomorphine concentration in the striatum of the rat.

Adrenolytics, aceperone and phenoxybenzamine, increased significantly the incidence of gnawing induced in the rat by a medium dose of apomorphine. The experiments in which the rats were killed at the onset of stereotyped gnawing to assess the threshold concentration of apomorphine in the striatum necessary to evoke this type of behavior have shown that these threshold concentrations were significantly reduced. It is concluded that the facilitation by adrenolytics of gnawing response to apomorphine is caused by an increase in the sensitivity of structures involved in this phenomenon to this dopaminergic stimulant.

Animals↗

Apomorphine-susceptible and apomorphine-unsusceptible Wistar rats differ in their recovery from stress-induced ulcers.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of restraint-in-water-stress on gastric ulcerations in two fundamentally different types of animals: the apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) and apomorphine-unsusceptible (APO-UNSUS) rats. APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS do not only differ in their susceptibility to the dopamine agonist apomorphine, but also in stress-induced release of mesolimbic dopamine and corticosterone. All three factors are known to either predict or be involved in gastric ulceration. The results showed that immediately after the stressor the ulcerations in APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats were not line-specific. On the contrary, the recovery from gastric ulceration varied between both types of rat: APO-SUS rats did not show any sign of recovery after 6 hours whereas APO-UNSUS rats significantly recovered during the period of 0-6 hr after the stressor. It is hypothesised that this difference is due to the fact that APO-UNSUS rats are characterised by a less and shorter-lasting stress-induced increase of corticosterone. This study provides evidence that the pathological effects of exposure to stressors significantly differ between APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats and that genetic factors may direct the process of recovering from ulcers.

Animals↗

Differential mutagenic, antimutagenic and cytotoxic responses induced by apomorphine and its oxidation product, 8-oxo-apomorphine-semiquinone, in bacteria and yeast.

Apomorphine (APO) is considered to be a classical mixed type dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptor agonist. It has been used in the therapy of Parkinson's disease and, more recently, for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Like other catechols (e.g. dopamine), APO easily autoxidizes, producing quinone and semiquinone derivatives that may lead to the formation of reactive oxygen species and induce neurotoxicity. We assayed mutagenicity, antimutagenicity, and cytotoxicity of these compounds by means of the Salmonella/microsome assay, WP2 Mutoxitest and sensitivity assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains lacking antioxidant defenses. In the absence of S9 mix both compounds Apomorphine and its oxidation derivative, 8-oxo-apomorphine-semiquinone (8-OASQ), both at doses ranging from 20 to 80 microg per plate, induced frameshift mutations in TA98 and TA97 S. typhimurium strains, with 8-OASQ being up to two times more mutagenic. However, for strains which detect oxidative mutagens, 8-OASQ acted as a mutagen while APO was an antimutagen, inhibiting H(2)O(2) and t-BOOH-induced mutagenicity in TA102 S. typhimurium and WP2-derived E. coli strains. The S9 mix inhibited all mutagenic effects, probably either by conjugation of APO and 8-OASQ to proteins or by quenching reactive oxygen species. In sensitivity assays with S. cerevisiae, APO was only clearly cytotoxic to some strains at higher doses (200 and 400 microg/ml), whereas 8-OASQ dose-dependently sensitized all the strains, mainly the mutants lacking catalase (deltactt1), superoxide dismutase (deltasod1) and Yap1 transcription factor (deltayap1), suggesting that 8-OASQ cytotoxicity towards S. cerevisiae results from its pro-oxidant properties. APO also tended to protect S. cerevisiae strains against oxidative damage induced by high concentrations of H(2)O(2) and t-BOOH, while 8-OASQ enhanced pro-oxidant effects and induced adaptation responses to these agents. These results suggest that the 8-OASQ oxidation product of APO might induce cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.

Antimutagenic Agents↗

Stability of apomorphine in solutions containing ascorbic acid and bisulfite and effects of antioxidants on apomorphine-induced cage climbing and hypothermia in mice.

Ascorbic acid (100 mg/ml) and sodium bisulfite (0.5 and 20 mg/ml) prevented more than 10% oxidation of apomorphine hydrochloride in water maintained at room temperature over 1-3 days. Refrigeration at 5 degrees prevented oxidation of apomorphine hydrochloride in aqueous solutions for 1 week. Neither ascorbic acid nor sodium bisulfite affected murine stereotyped cage climbing or hypothermia induced by apaomorphine.

Animals↗

[Aggressive behaviour induced by apomorphine: relations with some elements of the behavioural profile and with the sensitivity to apomorphine (author's transl)].

Aggressive rats could be differentiated from non-aggressive rats on a lower rate of rearing reactions in the open-field activity, as well as on a weaker aptitude for learning, increasing with the complication of the test. The two groups of rats had comparable activity, and a comparable response to pain. Apomorphine decreased the number of rearing reactions and defecations on open-field activity in the same manner in non-aggressive rats as in aggressive animals. In the usual housing conditions, apomorphine increased similarly locomotor activity in both groups, but in observation cages of "emotional" type, the increase was much more pronounced in aggressive rats than in non-aggressive animals.

Aggression↗

Apomorphine-susceptible rats and apomorphine-unsusceptible rats differ in the tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive network in the nucleus accumbens core and shell.

Individual variability in behavioural responses to stressors such as novelty and drugs of abuse is a well-known phenomenon in both animals and man. These individual differences are largely associated with differences in dopamine transmission in mesolimbic areas such as the nucleus accumbens. Apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) rats and apomorphine-unsusceptible (APO-UNSUS) rats serve as a valid animal model for individual differences and these two types of rat differ in a number of behavioural, physiological, endocrinological and pharmacological parameters. In order to study the differences in the catecholaminergic network in the nucleus accumbens, possibly underlying at least some of the differences between the two types of rat, we quantified the extent of the tyrosine-hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-IR) network and the number of TH-IR varicosities in subareas of the nucleus accumbens core and shell in naive rats. This study shows that the nucleus accumbens of APO-SUS rats has a more extensive fibre network and more varicosities than the nucleus accumbens of APO-UNSUS rats, and that the subarea of the shell contains more varicosities than the subarea of the core. These data provide a basis for further studying the structural and neurochemical properties of the nucleus accumbens contributing to individual differences in response to stressors such as novelty and drugs of abuse.

Animals↗

Apomorphine-susceptible and apomorphine-unsusceptible Wistar rats differ in novelty-induced changes in hippocampal dynorphin B expression and two-way active avoidance: a new key in the search for the role of the hippocampal-accumbens axis.

The present study examines two characteristic traits of the hippocampus in apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) and apomorphine-unsusceptible (APO-UNSUS) Wistar rat lines. Since hippocampal mossy fibers contain among others dynorphin B as transmitter, a radioimmunoassay was used to analyze the hippocampal dynorphin B expression in response to novelty in these lines. Dynorphin B expression at the end of the baseline condition was greater in APO-SUS rats than in APO-UNSUS rats, while exposure to novelty decreased and increased the dynorphin B expression in APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats, respectively. These interline differences in dynorphin B expression could be due to (a) an interline difference in the size of the mossy fiber terminal fields, (b) an interline difference in the regulation of the firing rate of mossy fibers by corticosteroids, and/or (c) an interline difference in the release of corticosteroids in response to novelty. Since the size of the mossy fiber infra/intrapyramidal terminal field is inversely related to two-way active avoidance performance, APO-SUS and APO-UNSUS rats (n = 9 per line) were given this task: APO-UNSUS rats performed much better than APO-SUS rats. It is concluded that the neurochemical and behavioural function of the hippocampus significantly differs between lines. Given the already known interline differences in the function of the nucleus accumbens, the present results provide a new avenue in search for the functional relationship between the hippocampus and the nucleus accumbens.

Animals↗

Studies of interferences of apomorphine and its metabolites or decomposition products with immunochemical screening tests for legal and illicit drugs after therapeutic doses of apomorphine.

This study deals with the question of whether apomorphine (CAS 314-19-2; e.g. in Ixense) and its metabolites or decomposition products interfere with the specificity of immunochemical screening tests (immunoassays) for legal and illicit drugs. It was the result of the investigations that after the therapeutic use of apomorphine no relevant false-positive screening findings were observed with the CEDIA (cloned enzyme donor immuno assay) and FPIA (fluorescence polarisation immuno assay) tests, which are commonly encountered in drug-screening programs, when using recommended cut-off values for urine.

Apomorphine↗

Apomorphine-susceptible and apomorphine-unsusceptible Wistar rats differ in their susceptibility to inflammatory and infectious diseases: a study on rats with group-specific differences in structure and reactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Variability in susceptibility to diseases is a well known phenomenon that has been attributed to genetic and environmental factors. At the level of the immune system, the reactivity of two types of T helper cells (Th1 and Th2 cells) plays an important role in determining disease susceptibility. Inflammatory (autoimmune) diseases are stimulated by cytokines produced by Th1 cells. Th2 cytokines stimulate antibody production (e.g., IgE) and eosinophilia as observed in allergic reactions or during parasitic infections. We describe here that the reactivity in a Th1 or a Th2 disease model significantly differs between individual rats that show group-specific differences in reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as well as in their behavioral responses to stress. We used two outbred lines of Wistar rats, apomorphine-susceptible rats that have a relatively hyperreactive HPA axis (APO-SUS) and apomorphine-unsusceptible rats that have a relatively hyporeactive HPA axis (APO-UNSUS). APO-SUS, but not APO-UNSUS, rats generated a vigorous, Th2-dependent IgE response after infection with the nematode Trichinella spiralis. In contrast, APO-UNSUS, but not APO-SUS, rats were susceptible for Th1-mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Investigation of cytokine responses of splenocytes revealed that the ratio of mRNA expression for Th1-derived interferon (IFN)-gamma and mRNA expression of Th2-derived interleukin-4 (IL-4) was significantly smaller in APO-SUS than in APO-UNSUS rats. In conclusion, individual differences in structure and reactivity of the neuroendocrine system co-occur with group-specific differences in susceptibility to inflammatory and infectious diseases.

Animals↗

Effects of multiple pretreatment with apomorphine and amphetamine on amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and its inhibition by apomorphine.

Mice were given a saline preinjection and habituation to the testing environment followed by injection of amphetamine (0.675-5.0 mg/kg IP) and apomorphine (AP, 15-80 micrograms/kg SC) 15 min later. AP produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. A dose of 40 micrograms/kg AP increased approximately threefold the amphetamine dose required to induce the same increase in activity. Repeated administration of AP (30 mg/kg IP once daily for 14 days) resulted in an enhanced response (in the early portion of the time response) to amphetamine challenge, while the ability of subsequent microgram challenge doses of AP to reduce the response were unaffected. Similarly, repeated administration (twice-daily IP injections for 5 days) of amphetamine (5.0 mg/kg) resulted in an enhanced locomotor response to amphetamine challenge and no change in the ability of AP to inhibit the response. These results suggest that repeated administrations of dopamine agonists, although acting through different mechanisms (i.e., indirect versus direct), increase the initial release of neurotransmitter. However, the repeated administration of these agonists does not attenuate the ability of AP to inhibit the release of the neurotransmitter induced by amphetamine. The regulatory functions (i.e., presynaptic receptor control) of release appears to remain intact, but the level of neuronal activity has been increased.

Amphetamine↗

Effects of some antidepressant drugs on apomorphine concentration in the central nervous system of rats and apomorphine-induced stereotypy.

Pharmacokinetic aspects of interaction between antidepressant drugs (AD) and apomorphine (APO) have been studied. It was found that neither acute nor chronic AD pretreatment affected the distribution of APO-induced stereotypy was not changed. An exception was citalopram (CIT) which given in a single dose to rats significantly potentiated APO-induced gnawing. Single dose of investigated AD delayed the onset of APO-induced sniffing, licking and gnawing, however the overall effect did not reach the statistically significant level. The presented results suggest that changes of APO behavioral effects induced by AD pretreatment are rather due to pharmacodynamic and not pharmacokinetic interaction.

Amitriptyline↗