title: Effects of the selective delta opioid agonist SNC80 on cocaine- and food-maintained responding in rhesus monkeys.
abstract: Delta agonists such as SNC80 ((+)-4-[(aR)-a-((2S,5R)-4-allyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)-3-methoxybenzyl]-N,N-diethylbenzamide) produce some cocaine-like behavioral effects and warrant evaluation as candidate "agonist" medications for cocaine abuse. The present study examined acute and chronic effects of the systemically active delta agonist SNC80 on cocaine- and food-maintained responding in rhesus monkeys. Acute SNC80 (0.32-3.2 mg/kg, i.m.) pretreatment dose-dependently decreased cocaine self-administration (0.0032 mg/kg/injection), but doses of SNC80 that decreased cocaine self-administration also decreased food-maintained responding. In chronic studies, SNC80 (0.32-3.2 mg/kg/h, i.v.) was delivered for 7 days, and food or cocaine (0.01 mg/kg/injection) was available during 4 daily components of food availability and 4 daily components of drug availability. Chronic SNC80 (1.8 mg/kg/h) tended to decrease cocaine self-administration but produced greater reductions in food-maintained responding. A higher dose of 3.2 mg/kg/h SNC80 eliminated both cocaine- and food-maintained responding and produced profound sedation in one monkey and was not tested in other monkeys. These findings indicate that SNC80 produced dose-dependent and non-selective reductions in cocaine self-administration. These results suggest that SNC80 is unlikely to be useful as a treatment for cocaine dependence.
authors.affiliation: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital - Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
authors.forename: Gail Pereira
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Do Carmo
authors.forename: Nancy K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Kenner C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Folk
authors.forename: S Stevens
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Negus
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000819:agonists*; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012646:Self Administration; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; C088464:4-(alpha-(4-allyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)-3-methoxybenzyl)-N,N-diethylbenzamide; D003042:Cocaine