TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF MORPHINE IN NEWBORNS OF ADDICTED HUMANS AND SUB-HUMAN PRIMATES

Abstract

A knowledge of the distribution of morphine in the fetal tissues may lead to an understanding of some of the clinical characteristics of the infant of the drug dependent mother (IDDM). Passive narcotic addiction was induced in the fetuses of 5 pregnant Rhesus monkeys by IM injection of 30-60 mgs morphine TID to the mother at the first sign of pregnancy. The fetuses, once delivered, were sacrifice and tissues from the different organs were analyzed for morphine content. Tissues were similarly assayed on 3 human infants (3-5 days old) who died and were born to drug dependent mothers.

RESULTS: The mean morphine content (μgs morphine/gm tissue) in the monkey and human tissues were:

INTERPRETATION: The higher level of morphine measured in the tissues of the fetal monkey is probably due to the higher dose of morphine consistently given to its mother. A phylogenetic dominance during fetal life of the cerebellum and brainstem over the cerebrum is suggested by the higher concentration of morphine in these organs. The significant amount of morphine in the lungs and liver (10%) may favor a drug induced enzyme maturation in these organs and possibly explain the lower incidence of RDS and jaundice in the IDDM. The high morphine concentration in the contents of the stomach and intestines of the fetal monkey provides a possible endogenous source of morphine to the fetus and a likely safeguard against fetal withdrawl. The high level of morphine in the thymus, spleen and heart remain unexplained.

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