title: Chronic Effect of Thunbergia laurifolia Extract and Cocaine in Rats Using Behavior Model of Addiction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. (TL) is a herbal medicine which has been used as a component of a mixture ofcrude extracts to treat drug addicted patients. TL extract was reported to increase dopamine levels significantly in the rat brain both in vitro and in vivo studies similar to that seen with cocaine and TL stimulated in the same brain area that amphetamine stimulated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to investigate whether long term treatment with TL can cause addiction or not by comparing with known addicted drug, cocaine, using the conditioned place preference test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chronic oral administration (30 days) of crude water extract of TL (1 and 10 g/kg, orally) and cocaine (1 mg/kg, orally) were performed to determine the alteration of addiction behavior using a conditioned place preference (CPP) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats received chronic treatment ofcocaine became addicted. While, both doses of TL (1 and 10 g/kg, orally) did not cause significantly in the time spent in both compartment between pre- and post-drug treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When treated long-term and tested with CPP test of addiction, rats received chronic treatment ofcocaine became addicted. On the other hand, both doses ofcrude water extract of TL (1 and 10 g/kg, orally) did not cause significant changed in the time spent in both compartment between pre- and post-drug treatment indicating that TL did not cause addiction.
authors.forename: Watchareewan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thongsaard
authors.forename: Ratirat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sangpayap
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marsden
mesh_terms: D027901:Acanthaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D003042:Cocaine; D004298:Dopamine