The essential oil from Angelica gigas NAKAI suppresses nicotine sensitization.
Behavioral sensitization, as evidenced by the progressive enhanced locomotor response to a subsequent injection of the drug, is the major behavioral outcome produced by repeated injections of nicotine, and a model for studying drug addiction. It is putatively regarded that the alteration of extracellular dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens is closely associated with nicotine-induced behavioral sensitization. The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of the essential oil from Angelica gigas NAKAI (on fragrance inhalation) on repeated nicotine-induced locomotor activity and extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens of rats using in vivo microdialysis. Rats were given repeated injections of saline or nicotine (0.4 mg/kg s.c., twice a day for 7 d), followed by one challenge injection on the 4th day after the last daily injection. Systemic challenge with nicotine (0.4 mg/kg s.c.) produced a larger increase in locomotor activity in nicotine-pretreated rats than in saline-pretreated rats. A direct local challenge of 3 mM nicotine via a microdialysis probe also induced a larger increase in dopamine release in nicotine-pretreated rats than in saline-pretreated rats. Most importantly, our results showed that inhalation of the essential oils from Angelica gigas NAKAI significantly decreased both dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and locomotor activity induced by a nicotine challenge. These results suggest that the essential oils from Angelica gigas NAKAI inhibit nicotine-induced behavioral and neurochemical sensitization, and imply that the essential oil from Angelica gigas NAKAI may be effective in treating nicotine addiction, possibly by modulating dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.
Zhao
Rong Jie
RJ
The Research Center for Biomedical Resources of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Korea.
Koo
Byung Soo
BS
Kim
Geun Woo
GW
Jang
Eun Young
EY
Lee
Jong Rok
JR
Kim
Mi Ryeo
MR
Kim
Sang Chan
SC
Kwon
Young Kyu
YK
Kim
Kwang Joong
KJ
Huh
Tae-lin
TL
Kim
Dae-Hyun
DH
Shim
Insop
I
Yang
Chae Ha
CH
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D029969:Angelica; D000818:Animals; D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000379:methods; D004298:Dopamine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D027541:Mentha / Q000737:chemistry; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D009822:Oils, Volatile; D009538:Nicotine; D004298:Dopamine