Determination of the effects of codeine on humoral immune response in mice

Opium is a narcotic substance obtained from the poppy plant called Papaver somniferium in Latin. The substances such as morphine, codeine, heroin and methadone obtained from opium poppy are called opioids. Morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, noscapine and narcine are the most important alkaloids in opium. By the addition of phosphate and sulfate to the pure form of codeine, codeine phosphate and codeine sulfate are obtained known as codeine salts. These forms of codeine are more preferred in medicine for therapeutic purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different preparations of codeine (pure codeine, codeine phosphate and codeine sulfate) on humoral immune response in mice. For this purpose, codeine, codeine salts (10 mg/kg) and opioid antagonist naltrexone (4 mg/kg) were prepared in 0.85% saline solution according to body weight and each mouse was injected intraperitoneally on day o and day 10 together with OVA (100 g). OVA specific immunoglobulin levels were determined by ELISA in mice sera collected before and after immunizations. The results showed that codeine significantly suppresses antigen-specific antibody levels, whereas opioid antagonist naltrexone blocks the immunosuppressive effects of codeine.