Noribogaine reduces nicotine self-administration in rats.
Qing Chang, Taleen Hanania, Deborah C. Mash, Émeline L. Maillet
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) June 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1177/0269881115584461 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subject design with a Latin square test schedule Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats |
| Interventions | Noribogaine varenicline |
| Dose | 12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg orally |
| Duration | 26 sessions of nicotine self-administration training |
| Topics | Addiction Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Food self-administration Nicotine addiction treatment Noribogaine pharmacology Behavioral specificity |
| Citations | 26 |
| Post-publication review | 2 comments on PubPeer (opens in new tab) · last active September 2016 |
| Key points | Noribogaine dose-dependently decreased nicotine self-administration by up to 64% and was equi-effective to varenicline, with less effect on food self-administration. |
Abstract
Noribogaine, a polypharmacological drug with activities at opioid receptors, ionotropic nicotinic receptors, and serotonin reuptake transporters, has been investigated for treatment of substance abuse-related disorders. Smoking cessation has major benefits for both individuals and society, therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of noribogaine for use as a treatment for nicotine dependence. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer nicotine intravenous. After initial food pellet training, followed by 26 sessions of nicotine self-administration training, the rats were administered noribogaine (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg orally), noribogaine vehicle, varenicline or saline using a within-subject design with a Latin square test schedule. Noribogaine dose-dependently decreased nicotine self-administration by up to 64% of saline-treated rats' levels and was equi-effective to 1.7 mg/kg intraperitoneal varenicline. Noribogaine was less efficient at reducing food pellets self-administration than at nicotine self-administration, inhibiting the nondrug reinforcing effects of palatable pellets by 23% at the highest dose. These results suggest that noribogaine dose-dependently attenuates drug-taking behavior for nicotine, attenuates the reinforcing effects of nicotine and is comparable to varenicline power in that regard. The findings from the present study hold promise for a new therapy to aid smoking cessation.