Omega-conotoxin increases sleep time following ethanol injection.
omega-Conotoxin and ethanol produce similar actions on in vitro calcium channel functions. The present study was designed to determine their possible behavioral interaction. omega-Conotoxin injected ICV at either 0.1 microgram or 0.3 microgram, produced an increase in spontaneous and evoked tremor activity in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The tremor was present at 30 min and continued at least 4 h after injection. At 4 h post ICV injection, animals were given an IP injection of ethanol (3 g/kg body weight). Although no blood alcohol differences were observed between groups, rats injected with omega-conotoxin showed a concentration-dependent increase in sleep times: Saline controls slept for an average of 84.7 +/- 16.7 min, 0.1 and 0.3 microgram conotoxin treated animals slept for 121.3 +/- 16.2 and 211.1 +/- 30.7 min, respectively. These results extend the class of calcium channel blockers capable of producing a behavioral interaction with ethanol.
Brown
L M
LM
Institute for Neuroscience, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas, Austin 78712.
Sims
J S
JS
Randall
P
P
Wilcox
R
R
Leslie
S W
SW
D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced; D020960:omega-Conotoxins
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D020960:omega-Conotoxins; C053423:Conus magus toxin; D000431:Ethanol