title: Effects of caffeine and bombesin on ethanol and food intake.
abstract: The methylxanthine caffeine and ethyl alcohol are widely used and powerful psychotropic drugs, but their interactions are not well understood. Bombesin is a brain-gut neuropeptide which is thought to function as a neurochemical factor in the inhibitory control of voluntary alcohol ingestion. We assessed the effects of combinations of intraperitoneal (i.p.) doses of caffeine (CAF, 0.1-50 mg/kg) and bombesin (BBS, 1-10 micrograms/kg) on 5% w/v ethanol solution and food intake in deprived rats. Deprived male and female Wistar rats received access to 5% ethanol or Purina chow for 30 minutes after i.p. injections. In single doses, CAF and BBS significantly decreased both ethanol and food consumption, at 50 mg/kg and 10 micrograms/kg, respectively. CAF and BBS combinations produced infra-additive, or less-than-expected inhibitory effects on ethanol intake, but simple additive inhibitory effects on food intake. This experimental evidence suggests a reciprocal blocking of effects of CAF and BBS on ethanol intake but not food intake. Caffeine, when interacting with bombesin, increases alcohol consumption beyond expected values. Caffeine could affect the operation of endogenous satiety signals for alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Colorado, Pueblo 81001.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dietze
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kulkosky
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001839:Bombesin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D002110:Caffeine; D001839:Bombesin