title: Pharmacological specificity of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol discrimination in rats.
abstract: While many previous studies have shown that a variety of cannabinoids substitute and cross-substitute for delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in drug discrimination procedures, few have systematically examined potential THC-like effects of non-cannabinoid compounds. The purpose of the present study was to delineate further the pharmacological specificity of THC discrimination. Rats were trained to discriminate THC (3.0 mg/kg) from vehicle. Following determination of a dose-effect curve with THC, substitution tests with selected compounds from a variety of pharmacological classes, including l-phenylisopropyl adenosine, dizocilpine, dextromethorphan, clozapine, buspirone, MDL 72222, muscimol, midazolam and chlordiazepoxide, were performed. Whereas THC produced full dose-dependent substitution, substitution tests with non-cannabinoid drugs resulted in less than chance (50%) levels of responding on the THC-appropriate lever, with the exception of (+)-MDMA (2.5 mg/kg, 50%) and diazepam (3.0 mg/kg, 67%). These results are consistent with those of previous studies and suggest that the discriminative stimulus effects of THC exhibit pharmacological specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0613, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wiley
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Balster
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D013759:Dronabinol