長期使用嗎啡易產生耐受性及成癮性，當突然中斷或降低劑量時會出現戒斷症候群，目前已知戒斷症候群與神經傳導物質如多巴胺、血清素等有相關性。
本研究以大鼠為研究對象，利用微透析管在腦中取樣，再使用高效能液相層析-電化學偵測器分析神經傳導物質含量變化，以探討丁基原啡因對成癮大鼠腦中神經傳導物質之影響。
結果顯示，丁基原啡因可使DA、Dopac 及HVA 之含量，呈現微幅上升，NE 及5-HTP 之含量則有明顯上升趨勢，5-HIAA 則呈現微幅之下降，而EP 則有明顯下降趨勢，NM 則維持不變。丁基原啡因對成癮大鼠腦中神經傳導物質之影響和嗎啡類似，推測其減癮效果可能和morphin like effect 有關。 Chronic treatment with morphine may induce tolerance and addiction. The withdrawal syndromes, which may result from the stop or dramatic reduction of morphine intake, are identified to be related to several neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin.
In this study, high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) was used after microdialysis sampling for the determination of the neurotransmitters in the rat corpus striatum. As a result, buprenorphine slightly increased the levels of DA, Dopac and HVA, while significantly increased the levels of NE and 5-HTP. In contrast, buprenorphine slightly decreased the levels of 5-HIAA but significantly lowered that of EP. It had no influence on NM. Buprenorphine-mediated effects were similar to that of morphine.
In summary, the impact on reducing the withdrawal symptoms to buprenorphine action may be through similar effects regulated by morphine.
