Epinephrine potentiates the analgesic and antidepressant effects of amitriptyline as a result of stimulation of the gastric mucosal afferents

摘要

Intramuscular amitriptyline in the minimum effective dose causes maximum analgesic and antidepressant effect and significant sedation in rats. Combined injection of amitriptyline with epinephrine in the threshold doses (ineffective if used alone), 1/I10 and 1/30 minimum effective doses, respectively, leads to the development of the maximum analgesic and antidepressant effect, but causes no sedative side effect. This potentiation is mediated by stimulation of afferents in the gastric mucosa with epinephrine.