beta-endorphin and Arteriosclerosis

The effect of ceruletide (CRL), a synthetic decapeptide analogue of cholecystokinin, on rest pain and arterial blood flow was evaluated in 8 patients with advanced, occlusive atherosclerosis of the lower extremities. CRL 1, 2, or 4 ng kg-1 or placebo were infused intravenously in random order, and in a double-blind fashion. Pain relief, assessed by a scoring system, was significantly better (p less than 0.01) following the 2 and 4 ng kg-1 doses of CRL (2.71 and 2.66, respectively) than following placebo (0.75). Arterial blood flow was not affected by either CRL in any dose or by placebo. Pretreatment with naloxone, a pure opioid antagonist, abolished the analgesic effect of CRL. Following the 2 ng dose of CRL, beta-endorphin levels were significantly elevated from a basal value of 125 +/- 15 pg/ml to 191 +/- 35 pg/ml 5 h after CRL administration (p less than 0.05). Circulating levels of ACTH, prolactin and GH were not affected by CRL. It is concluded that CRL was effective in relieving ischaemic rest pain, and that the mechanism was related to the release of endogenous opioids.

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Arteriosclerosis; beta-Endorphin; Ceruletide; Endorphins; Female; Gas Gangrene; Humans; Leg; Leg Ulcer; Male; Middle Aged; Naloxone; Pain; Rest

Differences between physically active and sedentary men were tested by profile comparison. The study identifies the relative importance of circulating beta-endorphin (BE), atherosclerotic disease risk (ADR) index, and selected components of emotionality in discriminating between physically active and sedentary men. The subjects were psychologically normal and medically healthy middle-aged men. Jogging activity was the subject classification criterion. The data were collected on selected physiological (treadmill), biochemical (blood collected from resting subjects), and psychological (Eysenck and MMPI) variables. The physical fitness score (PFS) was used as an index of fitness. Physically active men with a high PFS (n = 21), when compared to the sedentary men with a low PFS (n = 15), exhibited lower basal plasma BE, lower ADR, lower anxiety index (AI), and lower MMPI depression score (D). Canonical correlation analysis showed that PFS and BE in one set were correlated with D and neuroticism (NS) in another set of variables. Discriminant function analysis showed that the AI was the most powerful discriminator between the physically active and sedentary men, followed by BE and NS. Interestingly, BE and NS exhibited the same magnitude of discrimination power. The ADR exhibited less discrimination power, relative to AI, BE, and NS. In conclusion, the physically active men, compared to the sedentary men in this study, exhibited lower basal plasma BE, which appeared to be associated with less atherosclerotic disease risk, less neuroticism, less anxiety, and less depression.

Topics: Adult; Arousal; Arteriosclerosis; beta-Endorphin; Emotions; Exercise; Humans; Jogging; Male; Middle Aged; MMPI; Personality Inventory; Physical Fitness; Risk Factors

Topics: Arteriosclerosis; beta-Endorphin; Enkephalin, Methionine; Frostbite; Humans; Myocardial Infarction; Spinal Cord Injuries