title: Suppressing effect of saikosaponin A, an active ingredient of Bupleurum falcatum, on chocolate self-administration and reinstatement of chocolate seeking in rats.
abstract: Recent lines of experimental evidence have indicated that saikosaponin A (SSA) - a bioactive ingredient of the medicinal plant, Bupleurum falcatum L. - suppressed alcohol, morphine, and cocaine self-administration in rats. The present paper was designed to assess whether the protective properties of SSA on addiction-related behaviors generalize to a hyperpalatable food such as a chocolate-flavored beverage (CFB). To this end, rats were initially trained to lever-respond for CFB [5% (w/v) Nesquik®powder in water] under fixed ratio (FR) 10 (FR10) schedule of reinforcement. Once lever-responding reached stable levels, rats were treated acutely with two different dose ranges of SSA (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1mg/kg; 0, 1, 2.5, and 5mg/kg; i.p.) and exposed to the FR10 and progressive ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement in four independent experiments. The effect of acutely administered SSA (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1mg/kg; i.p.) on cue-induced reinstatement of seeking behavior for CFB was also assessed. Under the FR and PR schedules of reinforcement, treatment with SSA diminished lever-responding for CFB, amount of self-administered CFB, and breakpoint for CFB. All variables were virtually completely suppressed after treatment with 5mg/kg SSA. Treatment with SSA also suppressed reinstatement of CFB-seeking behavior. No dose of SSA altered rat motor-performance, evaluated exposing all rats to an inverted screen test immediately after the self-administration session. These results demonstrate that acute treatment with SSA potently suppressed several addictive-like behaviors motivated by highly hedonic nourishment. These data extend to a highly rewarding natural stimulus the anti-addictive properties of SSA recently disclosed in rats self-administering alcohol, morphine, and cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lorrai
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maccioni
authors.affiliation: Cagliari Pharmacological Research s.r.l., I-09127 Cagliari, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carai
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capra
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: M Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Castelli
authors.affiliation: Indena S.p.A., I-20139 Milan, MI, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.affiliation: Indena S.p.A., I-20139 Milan, MI, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morazzoni
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy. Electronic address: colomb@unica.it.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001628:Beverages; D029972:Bupleurum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000069956:Chocolate; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012646:Self Administration
chemical_list: D012503:Saponins; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; C025759:saikosaponin D
keywords: Bupleurum falcatum; Chocolate-flavored beverage; Operant self-administration; Rats; Reinstatement of seeking behavior; Saikosaponin A