title: Propofol pretreatment induced place preference and self-administration of the tiletamine-zolazepam combination: implication on drug of abuse substitution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Propofol and the tiletamine-zolazepam combination are anesthetics with both sedative-hypnotic and hallucinogenic effects. In South Korea, propofol is controlled while the tiletamine-zolazepam combination is not. Thus, there is a possibility that this drug combination might be used as a substitute drug by propofol-abusers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study we evaluated whether repeated pre-exposure to propofol predisposes to the use/abuse of the tiletamine-zolazepam combination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats (8-10 animals/group) were pre-treated with saline (control) or propofol at different dosages (10, 30, 60 mg/kg, i.p.), for 14 days, then conditioned place preference (CPP) and self-administration (SA) for the tiletamine-zolazepam combination were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats pretreated with saline exhibited neither CPP nor SA for the tiletamine-zolazepam combination. On the other hand, rats pretreated with propofol, in all dosages, demonstrated significant CPP and SA for the tiletamine-zolazepam combination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that tiletamine-zolazepam combinations might be used as a "substitute drug" by abusers of propofol. The careful use, dispensation, and monitoring of tiletamine-zolazepam combinations are advocated.
authors.affiliation: Uimyung Research Institute for Neuroscience, Sahmyook University , Nowon-gu, Seoul and.
authors.forename: June Bryan
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: de la Peña
authors.forename: Hafiz Muhammad
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.forename: Irene Joy
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Dela Peña
authors.forename: Hyun Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hee Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Aeree
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Yun Tai
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cheong
mesh_terms: D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012646:Self Administration; D013992:Tiletamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015041:Zolazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D004338:Drug Combinations; C006131:tiletamine, zolazepam drug combination; D013992:Tiletamine; D015041:Zolazepam; D015742:Propofol
keywords: Conditioned place preference; Zoletil; propofol; self-administration; tiletamine; zolazepam