The effect of 7-nitroindazole on the acquisition and expression of D-methamphetamine-induced place preference in rats.
The present study investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the rewarding effects of D-methamphetamine using 7-nitroindazole, a potent inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), as determined by the conditioned place preference paradigm. Male Sprague-Dawley rats treated with D-methamphetamine (1 mg/kg) or saline every other day for 8 days (four drug and four saline sessions) developed marked place preference for the drug-paired side. The administration of 7-nitroindazole (12.5-50 mg/kg) 30 min prior to the exposure to D-methamphetamine dose-dependently attenuated the acquisition of D-methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference. In addition, when it was acutely administered 30 min prior to the testing session of an already established D-methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference, 7-nitroindazole (12.5-50 mg/kg) attenuated the expression of this conditioned response in a dose-dependent manner, while 7-nitroindazole (25 and 50 mg/kg) alone showed no place preference effects. These findings indicate that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the rewarding properties of methamphetamine and suggest that selective nNOS inhibitors maybe useful in the management of methamphetamine abuse.
Li
Su-Min
SM
Department of Neuropharmacology, National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, 100083, Beijing, PR China.
Yin
Lin-Lin
LL
Shi
Jie
J
Lin
Zhi-Bin
ZB
Zheng
Ji-Wang
JW
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012201:Reward
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D007191:Indazoles; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008694:Methamphetamine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; C080122:7-nitroindazole