Caffeine does not effectively ameliorate, but rather may worsen the ethanol intoxication when assessed by discrete avoidance in mice.
Ethanol disrupted the discrete lever-press and shuttle avoidances in mice at doses over 1.6 and 2.4 g/kg, p.o., respectively, eliciting a dose-dependent decrease in the % of avoidance with no significant change or slight increase in the response rate. Caffeine increased the response rate of both the avoidances at the doses of 1-30 mg/kg, p.o., but disrupted the avoidance at 100 mg/kg. Caffeine (10 mg/kg) reduced the decreased % of avoidance by ethanol (1.6 and 2.4 g/kg) with a significant increase in the response rate. In contrast, the % of avoidance was significantly lower after the combined administration of ethanol (3.2 g/kg) with caffeine than after ethanol (3.2 g/kg) alone. Unlike ethanol, diazepam (2 mg/kg, s.c.) and pentobarbital (10 mg/kg, s.c.) significantly decreased both the response rate and the % of avoidance. Caffeine (10 mg/kg) ameliorated the decreased response rate and the % of avoidance produced by diazepam and pentobarbital. The present results suggest that caffeine does not effectively ameliorate, but rather may worsen the ethanol intoxication.
Kuribara
H
H
Division for Behavior Analysis, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
Tadokoro
S
S
D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
D002110:Caffeine; D010424:Pentobarbital; D003975:Diazepam