Buprenorphine alters ethanol self-administration in rats : dose-response and time-dependent effects

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia Vol. 140; no. 1; pp. 29 - 37
• Main Authors: JUNE, H. L, CASON, C. R, CHEN, S. H. A, LEWIS, M. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.11.1998; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Analgesics, Opioid - pharmacology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Buprenorphine; Buprenorphine - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drinking - drug effects; Drinking behavior; Drug self-administration; Ethanol; Ethanol - administration & dosage; Male; Medical sciences; Narcotics; Opioid receptors; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Self Administration; Time Factors; Toxicology; Water intake; Partial agonist; Intraperitoneal administration; Antialcohol drug; Ethanol; Rat; Toxicity; Rodentia; Opiates; Time response relation; Self administration; Biological activity; Dose activity relation; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Acquisition process; Buprenorphine; Animal; Reinforcement
• ISSN: 0033-3158; 1432-2072
• DOI: 10.1007/s002130050735

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist derived from thebaine and has high affinity for mu and kappa opioid receptors. The present study investigated dose-response (0.03, 0.15, 0.3, 3 mg/kg) and time-dependent effects of buprenorphine (1.5 or 4 h post-treatment) on EtOH self-administration in outbred Sprague-Dawley rats. Freely feeding and drinking rats were trained to initiate EtOH self-administration for 1 h daily using the ascending concentration procedure, wherein they were provided with increasing concentrations of EtOH at 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11% (v/v), respectively. Water was concurrently available with each concentration. Animals were maintained on a given concentration of EtOH for 5 days. By day 21, animals began their stabilization on the 11% regimen and remained on this concentration throughout the remainder of the study. EtOH and water consumption were recorded daily at both 10- and 60-min intervals. At 1.5 h post-buprenorphine, all test doses greatly suppressed both EtOH and water intake at the 10-min interval. At the 60-min interval, all but the lowest dose (0.03 mg/kg) significantly suppressed EtOH intake, while only the highest dose (3 mg/kg) suppressed water intake. In contrast to the suppressant profile observed at 1.5 h post-buprenorphine, at 4 h post-buprenorphine the lower doses (0.03 and 0.15 mg/kg) significantly increased EtOH intake while the higher doses (0.3 and 3 mg/kg) continued to suppress intake. None of the doses of buprenorphine altered water intake 4 h post-buprenorphine. The results support previous research demonstrating the utility of low doses of buprenorphine in suppressing behavior rewarded by a non-opioid drug.