The development and expression of locomotor sensitization to nicotine in the presence of ibogaine.
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid with claimed efficacy in the treatment of certain drug addictions, including nicotine. It has been reported to be a non-competitive blocker of nicotinic receptors, with a potent inhibitory action on nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated catecholamine release. We have investigated the effect of different doses of ibogaine on the development and expression of sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effect of nicotine in rats, a facilitatory process in which a history of exposure to nicotine results in enhanced locomotor activity when the same dose of nicotine is administered repeatedly. The effects were determined of co-administering ibogaine (0.0, 5.0 or 10 mg/kg i.p.) with nicotine (0.0 or 0.4 mg/kg s.c.) daily for 21 days. Dose-response curves for nicotine (0.04-0.8 mg/kg s.c.) were then determined in groups of 10 rats. There was clear sensitization of the locomotor activity produced by nicotine in photocell activity cages but co-administration of ibogaine with nicotine had no effect on the degree of sensitization. Ibogaine (5-20 mg/kg) itself did not influence locomotor activity and was also without effect on the expression of the sensitized response to 0.4 mg/kg of nicotine (n = 10). Thus, there was no evidence that ibogaine may retard or suppress sensitization to nicotine.
Zubaran
C
C
Section of Behavioural Pharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
Shoaib
M
M
Stolerman
I P
IP
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007050:Ibogaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants; D007050:Ibogaine; D009538:Nicotine