title: Rimonabant (SR141716) has no effect on alcohol self-administration or endocrine measures in nontreatment-seeking heavy alcohol drinkers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an extensive literature showing that the CB(1) cannabinoid receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716) decreases alcohol consumption in animals, but little is known about its effects in human alcohol drinkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 49 nontreatment-seeking heavy alcohol drinkers participated in a 3-week study. After a 1-week baseline, participants received either 20 mg/day of rimonabant or placebo for 2 weeks under double-blind conditions. During these 3 weeks, participants reported their daily alcohol consumption by telephone. Subsequently, they participated in an alcohol self-administration paradigm in which they received a priming dose of alcohol followed by the option of consuming either eight alcohol drinks or receiving $3.00 for each nonconsumed drink. Endocrine measures and self-rating scales were also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rimonabant did not change alcohol consumption during the 2 weeks of daily call-ins. Similarly, the drug did not change either alcohol self-administration or endocrine measures during the laboratory session.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the daily administration of 20 mg of rimonabant for 2 weeks has no effect on alcohol consumption in nontreatment-seeking heavy alcohol drinkers.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 10 Center Drive, 10 CRC-Hatfield Center, Rm. 1-5330, MSC 1108, Bethesda, MD 20892-1108, USA. tedg@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: David Ted
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Herion
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Monte J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hersh
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heilig
authors.forename: Vijay A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ramchandani
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Spero
authors.forename: Erick D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Singley
authors.forename: Stephanie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.forename: Raafat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bishai
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Rawlings
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunos
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012201:Reward; D000077285:Rimonabant; D012646:Self Administration
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000077285:Rimonabant; D006854:Hydrocortisone