N-acetylcysteine reduces extinction responding and induces enduring reductions in cue- and heroin-induced drug-seeking.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies show that the acute administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhibits the desire for cocaine in addicts and cocaine-seeking in animals.


METHODS
Rats were trained to self-administer heroin, and the reinstatement model of drug seeking was used to determine whether chronic NAC treatment inhibited heroin-seeking.


RESULTS
Daily NAC administration inhibited cue- and heroin-induced seeking. Moreover, repeated NAC administration during extinction training reduced extinction-responding and inhibited cue- and heroin-induced reinstatement for up to 40 days after discontinuing daily NAC injection.


CONCLUSIONS
These data show that daily NAC inhibits heroin-induced reinstatement and produces an enduring reduction in cue- and heroin-induced drug seeking for over 1 month after the last injection of NAC. Both the inhibitory effect of NAC on the reinstatement of heroin-seeking and the ability of NAC to reduce extinction-responding support clinical evaluation of repeated NAC administration to decrease in drug-seeking in heroin addicts.
Zhou
Wenhua
W
Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
Kalivas
Peter W
PW
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003463:Cues; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003932:Heroin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D009294:Narcotics; D003932:Heroin; D000111:Acetylcysteine
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