title: Effects of flumazenil on ethanol withdrawal syndrome in rats.
abstract: Effects of flumazenil (Ro 15-1788, CAS 78755-81-4) on ethanol withdrawal syndrome (EWS) has been investigated in rats. Behavioral EWS symptoms appeared during the first 6 h of ethanol withdrawal. Flumazenil (2.5 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) increased horizontal and vertical locomotor activity significantly and also precipitated abnormal gait and agitation at the beginning of EWS in a dose dependent manner. However, thereafter it reduced the severity of abnormal posture and gait, tail stiffness, agitation and stereotyped behavior in a dose dependent manner. At the 6th hour of EWS, flumazenil (10 mg/kg) reduced total EWS score significantly, but shortened the latency of audiogenic seizures and increased the severity of wet dog shakes. Flumazenil (2.5 and 10 mg/kg) did not elicit behavioral EWS symptoms and audiogenic seizures in non-dependent (control) rats. It did not cause any significant change on locomotor activities in these groups. According to those results, certain actions of flumazenil on the experimental EWS may suggest a potential beneficial effect of this drug in the treatment of EWS in alcoholics, but its enhancing effects on some behavioral EWS symptoms and a potential proconvulsant activity may be a drawback for its use in the treatment of EWS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Uzbay
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Akarsu
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kayaalp
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D012646:Self Administration; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D005442:Flumazenil