A method of reducing, treating or preventing drug-mediated respiratory depression,
muscle rigidity, or nausea/vomiting in an animal, incident to the administration
to said animal of a mixed delta/mu opioid agonist or a respiratory depression-mediating
drug, comprising administering to the animal receiving said drug an effective amount
of a delta receptor agonist compound. Preferred examples of such delta receptor
agonist compound include diarylmethyl piperazine compounds and diarylmethyl piperidine
compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, having utility in medical therapy
for reducing respiratory depression associated with certain analgesics, such as
mu opiates.
