Carbamazepine produces nonspecific effects on cocaine self-administration in rats.
Anecdotal evidence in humans suggest that carbamazepine suppresses cocaine-induced rush and craving. Such claims are unsupported in controlled trials using a placebo control. In the present study, rats were trained to self-administer i.v. cocaine in daily 2-hr sessions in which every tenth lever press delivered 1 mg/kg cocaine. After responding was stable, they were injected before each session with the vehicle for 2 days followed by carbamazepine for 2 days. At a 7 mg/kg dose, carbamazepine was without effect, whereas 15 mg/kg suppressed responding for cocaine only on the second (day 4) day of carbamazepine treatment. With 4 consecutive days of treatment, carbamazepine (15 mg/kg) reduced cocaine-maintained responding slightly, but significantly. In another group of animals trained to lever-press for food reinforcement, carbamazepine (15 mg/kg) also significantly decreased the rate of responding, suggesting that the suppression of responding was not specific to cocaine-reinforced behavior.
Sharpe
L G
LG
Psychobiology Laboratory, Baltimore, Maryland 21224.
Jaffe
J H
JH
Katz
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012646:Self Administration
D002220:Carbamazepine; D003042:Cocaine