levorphanol and Hypoxia

We studied the effects of a non-narcotic, centrally acting antitussive, fominoben (PB89), on hypoxia in sixty patients suffering from chronic obstructive lung diseases (COLD), utilizing a double-blind method and using the antitussive dextromethorphan as a reference drug. By the oral administration of a dose of 2 fominoben tablets (160 mg) three times a day for 2 weeks, a significant increase in arterial O2 pressure (PaO2), a decrease in arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2), and a rise in pH were observed. However, alveolar-arterial O2 difference (A-aDO2) was not improved. On the other hand, after administration of a dose of 2 dextromethorphan tablets (30 mg) three times a day for 2 weeks, no increase in PaO2, no decrease in PaCo2 and no improvement in A-aDO2 were observed, although a rise in pH was seen. The increase in PaO2 by fominoben was marked in COLD with dyspnoea. No improvement of A-aDO2 despite a decrease in PaCO2 suggests that fominoben might increase alveolar ventilation, in spite of its effect as an antitussive, exerting a favourable effect on hypoxia. It is, therefore, speculated that the cough centre and the respiratory centre are capable of functioning independently of each other.

Topics: Aged; Antitussive Agents; Dextromethorphan; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Hypoxia; Levorphanol; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Male; Middle Aged; Morpholines; Partial Pressure; Respiratory Center

The dextrorotatory opioid derivatives, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan, can attenuate hypoxic injury in cortical cell cultures. This effect is concentration-dependent in the micromolar range, and not strongly stereospecific, as it can also be demonstrated with the levorotatory enantiomer of dextrorphan, levorphanol. The possibility that these clinically available compounds may have therapeutic utility in hypoxic or ischemic encephalopathy warrants further investigation.

Topics: Animals; Brain Ischemia; Cells, Cultured; Cerebral Cortex; Dextromethorphan; Dextrorphan; Hypoxia; Levorphanol; Mice; Morphinans; Neurons

Topics: Animals; Asphyxia; Cataract; Cats; Chlorpromazine; Cricetinae; Death; Dehydration; Epinephrine; Eyelids; Female; Guinea Pigs; Humidity; Hypoxia; Levorphanol; Male; Mice; Morphine; Rabbits; Rats; Stress, Physiological; Temperature