title: Caffeine enhances and accelerates the expression of sensitization induced by coca paste indicating its relevance as a main adulterant.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Caffeine is an active adulterant found in several drugs of abuse including coca paste (CP). We had previously demonstrated that caffeine potentiated the acute stimulant effect induced by CP seized samples. The role of caffeine in the expression of sensitization elicited by a CP seized sample (CP1) was here evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  CP1 (equivalent dose of 10 mg/kg of cocaine), cocaine (pure, 10 mg/kg), a combination of cocaine 10 mg/kg plus caffeine 2.5 mg/kg (CP1-surrogate) and saline (control) were intraperitoneally injected in male rats under two different sensitization schedules. Ambulatory locomotion was recorded in 58 animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After five daily CP1 injections and 5 days of withdrawal, CP1-challenged animals displayed a more robust sensitization than cocaine-treated animals. When a 3 injections-regime of CP1-surrogate or cocaine was assayed, only CP1-surrogate was able to elicit sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caffeine enhances and accelerates the CP1-induced sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results may shed light on the fast and high dependence observed in CP users.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurofarmacología Experimental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: José P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurofarmacología Experimental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galvalisi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurofarmacología Experimental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: López-Hill
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biología Celular, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: María N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Meikle
authors.affiliation: Departmento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Abin-Carriquiry
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurofarmacología Experimental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scorza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059333:Central Nervous System Sensitization / Q000187:drug effects*; D003041:Coca; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004340:Drug Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009824:Ointments; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D002110:Caffeine