A cembranoid from tobacco prevents the expression of nicotine-induced withdrawal behavior in planarian worms.
Using an adaptation of published behavioral protocols, we determined that acute exposure to the cholinergic compounds nicotine and carbamylcholine decreased planarian motility in a concentration-dependent manner. A tobacco cembranoid (1S,2E,4R,6R,7E,11E)-cembra-2,7,11-triene-4,6-diol (4R-cembranoid), also decreased planarian motility. Experiments in the presence of 1 microM 4R-cembranoid did increase the IC50 for nicotine- but not carbamylcholine-induced decrease in planarian motility. When planarians were exposed for 24 h to either nicotine or carbamylcholine at concentrations near their respective IC50 values and then transferred to plain media, nicotine-exposed, but not carbamylcholine- or cembranoid-exposed worms displayed withdrawal-like distress behaviors. In experiments where planarians were pre-exposed to 100 microM nicotine for 24 h in the presence of 1 microM 4R-cembranoid, the withdrawal-like effects were significantly reduced. These results indicate that the 4R-cembranoid might have valuable applications for tobacco abuse research. This experimental approach using planarians is useful for the initial screening of compounds relevant to drug abuse and dependence.
Pagán
Oné R
OR
Department of Biology, West Chester University, 750 S. Church Street, West Chester, PA 19383-2112, United States. opagan@wcupa.edu
Rowlands
Amanda L
AL
Fattore
Angela L
AL
Coudron
Tamara
T
Urban
Kimberly R
KR
Bidja
Apurva H
AH
Eterović
Vesna A
VA
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002217:Carbachol / Q000009:adverse effects; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010932:Planarians; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000737:chemistry*
D004224:Diterpenes; C544693:cembra-2,7,11-triene-4,6-diol; D009538:Nicotine; D002217:Carbachol