A re-evaluation of the role of tetrahydropapaveroline in ethanol consumption in rats.

TitleA re-evaluation of the role of tetrahydropapaveroline in ethanol consumption in rats.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2003
AuthorsMcCoy JG, Strawbridge C, McMurtrey KD, Kane VB, Ward CP
JournalBrain Res Bull
Volume60
Issue1-2
Pagination59-65
Date Published2003 Apr 15
ISSN0361-9230
KeywordsAlcohol Drinking, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drinking Behavior, Drug Administration Routes, Food Preferences, Injections, Intraventricular, Male, Papaverine, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Stereoisomerism, Tetrahydropapaveroline
Abstract

The role of tetrahydropapaveroline (THP), a condensation product of a dopaldehyde with dopamine, in the regulation of alcohol consumption was investigated. In the first experiment, rats received intraventricular injections of either racemic THP hydrobromide (0.65 or 1.3 microg/microl), R-(+)-THP (0.66 or 1.4 microg/microl), or an equal volume of vehicle. The lower doses of both (+/-)-THP and (+)-THP significantly increased volitional alcohol intake. For the racemic compound, the increase was significant at 7-13% concentrations. The R-(+)-enantiomer increased consumption at 4-11 and 15-20% concentrations of ethanol. The higher doses of both compounds did not significantly alter alcohol preference. A second experiment evaluated the chronic effect of THP delivered subcutaneously via osmotic minipump. Animals receiving THP (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/ml) did not differ in their alcohol intake, compared to vehicle-treated controls. Whether or not endogenously formed THP participates in the etiology of alcohol addiction remains unclear. Nonetheless, there are few known compounds that induce a preference for unsweetened alcohol solutions over water in laboratory animals.

Alternate JournalBrain Res. Bull.
PubMed ID12725893