title: Voluntary alcohol consumption and plasma beta-endorphin levels in alcohol preferring rats chronically treated with levetiracetam: a preliminary study.
abstract: Many recent researches have confirmed the effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs in preventing alcohol dependency, whereas our previous study showed that repeated treatment with topiramate, a new antiepileptic drug, was effective in increasing the plasma levels of beta-endorphin (an endogenous opioid peptide) in rats. It is well documented that in humans a genetic deficit of beta-endorphin is often associated with alcohol addiction as alcohol consumption elevates the level of this peptide. The aim of the present study is multifaceted: to investigate the effect of repeated treatment of levetiracetam (50 or 100mg/kg b.w., twice daily) on voluntary alcohol intake in alcohol preferring rats (Warsaw High Preferring; WHP) and to assess changes in plasma beta-endorphin levels while alcohol is available and when it is not available for an extended period of time. We observed a noticeable increase in the levels of beta-endorphin in rats with free access to alcohol whether in a prolonged levetiracetam-treated or vehicle-treated group. However, in the levetiracetam group, a voluntary intake of alcohol diminished in comparison with both the pretreatment period and in comparison with the vehicle-treated rats. A similar increase in the plasma beta-endorphin levels was observed in levetiracetam-treated rats that did not have access to ethanol. This finding lets us to believe that levetiracetam may be a promising medication in treatment of alcohol dependency as its application leads to the increase in the beta-endorphin concentration and ultimately results in reducing deficiency of this peptide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, PL 90-151 Lodz, Poland. jadwiga.zalewska-kaszubska@umed.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zalewska-Kaszubska
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bajer
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Czarnecka
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dyr
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gorska
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012646:Self Administration; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000431:Ethanol; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D010889:Piracetam