Zonisamide decreases ethanol intake in rats and mice.
Several anticonvulsant agents, including topiramate and valproate, have been found to reduce alcohol consumption in rodent models of drinking. The question of whether the novel anticonvulsant agent, zonisamide, shares similar actions in either mice or rats was investigated in the present experiments. In an initial experiment, the consumption of a 10% ethanol-5% sucrose solution, available for one hour, by Wistar rats treated with lactose, topiramate, or zonisamide was determined. In a second experiment, the intake of a 10% ethanol/water solution, accessible for two hours, by C57BL/B6N mice treated with either zonisamide or vehicle was assessed. In the rat, 50 mg/kg (PO) doses of either topiramate or zonisamide produced significant, but moderate decreases in ethanol/sucrose intake. The administration of a 50 mg/kg (IP) dose of zonisamide to mice resulted in a marked lowering in ethanol consumption. These results provide evidence that zonisamide administration will decrease ethanol consumption by both mice and rats in limited access models of drinking, and might, like topiramate, be useful as a medication for alcoholism.
Knapp
Clifford M
CM
Division of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boson, MA 02118, USA. cknapp@bu.edu
Mercado
Melissa
M
Markley
Tara Lynn
TL
Crosby
Steven
S
Ciraulo
Domenic A
DA
Kornetsky
Conan
C
D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077236:Topiramate; D000078305:Zonisamide
D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D000078305:Zonisamide; D013395:Sucrose