title: Dose-dependent suppression of the high alcohol intake of chronically intoxicated rats by Ca-acetyl homotaurinate.
abstract: The effect of taurine derivative, Ca-acetyl homotaurinate, on voluntary alcohol intake was investigated in ethanol-dependent and naive rats. A high 24 hr oral intake of a 10% ethyl alcohol solution (9-10 g/kg) was exhibited by rats following 15 days of intragastric infusions of ethanol (7-8 g/kg/day). In four groups, rats were IG injected by short pulses of isotonic saline or a daily dose of 200, 300 and 450 mg/kg respectively, distributed over six daily infusions during alternating 8 hr presentations of ethanol solution and water. Compared to their respective basal intakes during the first two days of injection, the rats demonstrated a dose-dependent 50 to 70% reduction in alcohol consumption with drug treatment. This suppression effect was specific to the ethanol solution and persisted during 4 days of post-treatment observation. In ethanol-naive rats similarly tested and drinking half the amount of alcohol drunk by their ethanol-dependent counterparts, only the highest dose of drug (450 mg/kg) significantly suppressed their alcohol intake. It is suggested that Ca-acetyl homotaurinate interacts with CNS mechanisms involved in the ethanol tolerance-dependence state, underlying an enhanced reinforcing property of ethanol oral intake. Opioid receptors could be the targets in this action.
mesh_terms: D000077443:Acamprosate; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000187:drug effects*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013654:Taurine; D000077443:Acamprosate