Description
Dermenkephalin is an exogenous opioid peptide that acts as an agonist at δ-opioid receptors (selective for δ-2 receptors). Dermenkephalin, like other δOR agonists, exhibits antinociceptive/analgesic activity, increasing response latency in animal models of thermal pain. Dermenkephalin also plays a role in reward and reinforcement signaling, inducing conditioned place preference in animal models previously administered ethanol or cocaine. Dermenkephalin also increases locomotor activity in animal models.
References
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Fraser GL, Parenteau H, Tu TM, et al. The effects of delta agonists on locomotor activity in habituated and non-habituated rats. Life Sci. 2000 Jul 14;67(8):913-22. PMID: 10946851.
Harasawa I, Fields HL, Meng ID. Delta opioid receptor mediated actions in the rostral ventromedial medulla on tail flick latency and nociceptive modulatory neurons. Pain. 2000 Mar;85(1-2):255-62. PMID: 10692626.
