Pain relief substance in spinal cord

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We isolated a potent inhibitor for enkephalin degrading enzymes from the bovine spinal cord, and determined its amino-acid sequence and pharmacological action. This new substance is composed of heptapeptide (Leu-Val-Val-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Thr), and has been named by us 'Sinorphin". This present study is to deterain the opioid activity and the existance of Spinorphin degrading enzyme in human spinal cord. The intracisternally injected Spinorphin produced analgesic effects in a dose -dependent manner, in dose of 100-200nnol/mouse. The analgesic effect reached the maximum within 5min and dissapeared afterl5-6Onin. Spinorphin also produces a dose-related inhibition of electrically evoked contractions of the mouse vas deferens and the guinea pig ileum. These inhibitory effects could be completely antagonised bynaloxone. The diiscovery in the bovine spinal cord of endogenoue heptapeptide, Spinorphin with potent opioid activity raises a number of pertinent questions which cannot be adequately dealt with in this study. It will now be possible, however, to test the very hypothesis that this petides act as neurotransmitters or neuromodulations at synaptic junction.