title: Voluntary alcohol consumption and plasma beta-endorphin levels in alcohol preferring rats chronically treated with lamotrigine.
abstract: Several recent studies have indicated that lamotrigine, similarly to other antiepileptic drugs, may be useful in the therapy of alcohol dependence. The rationale for using lamotrigine in the treatment of alcohol addiction is based on its multiple mechanisms of action which include inhibition of voltage-sensitive sodium channels, modulation voltage-gated calcium currents and transient potassium outward current. However, the known mechanism of lamotrigine does not fully explain its efficacy in alcohol addiction therapy. For this reason we have decided to examine the effect of lamotrigine on the opioid system. Our previous studies showed that topiramate and levetiracetam (antiepileptic drugs) as well as the most effective drugs in alcohol addiction therapy i.e. naltrexone and acamprosate, when given repeatedly, all increased plasma beta endorphin (an endogenous opioid peptide) level, despite operating through different pharmacological mechanisms. It is known that low beta-endorphin level is often associated with alcohol addiction and also that alcohol consumption elevates the level of this peptide. This study aims to assess the effect of repeated treatment with lamotrigine on voluntary alcohol intake and beta-endorphin plasma level in alcohol preferring rats (Warsaw high preferring (WHP) rats). We observed a decrease in alcohol consumption in rats treated with lamotrigine. However we didn't observe significant changes in beta-endorphin level during withdrawal of alcohol, which may indicate that the drug does not affect the opioid system. We suppose that lamotrigine may be useful in alcohol dependence therapy and presents a potential area for further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, PL 90-151 Lodz, Poland. Electronic address: jadwiga.zalewska-kaszubska@umed.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zalewska-Kaszubska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, PL 90-151 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bajer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, PL 90-151 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gorska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, PL 90-151 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andrzejczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology of the Nervous System, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dyr
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology of the Nervous System, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bieńkowski
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D051381:Rats; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D014227:Triazines; D000431:Ethanol; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000077213:Lamotrigine
keywords: Alcohol; Beta-endorphin; Free-choice procedure; Lamotrigine; WHP; Warsaw high-preferring rats