Suppression of saccharin-induced drinking in the nondeprived rat by low dose diazepam treatment.
Access to a highly palatable 0.005 M sodium saccharin solution resulted in considerable overdrinking in nondeprived rats over a 6 hr observation period. Contrary to previous reports documenting benzodiazepine-induced hyperdipsia in animals challenged with thirst stimuli or in animals exhibiting schedule-induced drinking, diazepam (0.1-3.0 mg/kg) had no effect to enhance the intake of the saccharin solution. Instead, diazepam produced a significant suppression of fluid consumption, in a manner not monotonically related to dose. Thus, diazepam (0.3 mg/kg) produced maximal suppression which did not dissipate over a 6 hr period, while diazepam (3.0 mg/kg) had no effect. Possible behavioral mechanisms by which low dose diazepam treatment might reduce the drinking are briefly considered.
D000818:Animals; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects*; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012439:Saccharin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D012439:Saccharin; D003975:Diazepam